*High level panel fails to monitor implementation process
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 24: Despite lapse of nearly one and half decade, large number of farmers whose huge chunk of land became inaccessible following raising of fencing on the borders to check infiltration from the Pakistan side have been crying for justice as like the previous dispensations even the present PDP-BJP Government has failed to show any seriousness towards their long pending demand of compensation.
This is notwithstanding the fact that Civil Military Liaison Conference in its meeting held last year had directed for establishment of joint panel of Army and civil administration in five districts of Jammu province—Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri, for detailed survey of land of farmers and subsequently working out of compensation for seeking financial assistance from the Union Government.
Nearly one and half decade back, when the situation on the borders was very worrisome, the people of these districts cooperated with the security forces to raise the fence. As Pakistan was creating hindrances in fencing exercise, the BSF raised mound to safeguard the workforce from the firing from across the border.
As a result of this, fence was not raised on the border but deep inside our territory and in this way huge chunk of land from the border to the fence became inaccessible for large number of farmers, who accordingly raised the demand of compensation.
The successive Governments in Jammu and Kashmir only gave assurances to the farmers instead of initiating steps to provide them compensation for the land ahead of the fencing as a result of which they (farmers) remained deprived of justice.
This issue also figured in the Civil Military Liaison Conference held after a gap of nearly two years on September 29, 2015 under the chairmanship of the then Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and keeping in view prolonged delay in providing justice to the farmers, it was decided that Army and civil administration will set up joint panel very soon and conduct detailed survey of the land of farmers, which had come ahead of fencing both along the International Border and Line of Control, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
This decision once again generated ray of hope among the farmers about getting long pending compensation. However, the soft paddling approach continued from all the concerned quarters for over three months following which the Government vide Order No.79-GAD dated January 29, 2016 constituted a committee headed by Chief Secretary and comprising of Principal Secretary to the Government, Home Department and Secretary to the Government, Revenue Department to monitor implementation of all the decisions taken in the Civil Military Liaison Conference held on September 29, 2015.
“Shockingly, neither Army and civil administration came forward to set up joint panel for conduct of detailed survey nor the high-level committee tried to ensure implementation of this vital decision of Civil-Military Liaison Conference till date”, sources informed, adding “the intensity of the non-seriousness towards implementation of decision taken in this important forum can be gauged from the fact that even the basic step of demarcation of land has not been initiated despite lapse of one year”.
“In the absence of primary step whether the farmers would get justice even from the present dispensation remains a million dollar question”, sources said, adding “the State Government can approach the Union Government for compensation to the farmers only when it is able to complete the basic exercise as such only State Government can be squarely held responsible for continuous injustice with the farmers”.
Stating that even the PDP-BJP Government has dashed the hopes of the farmers, sources said, “Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, who raised the issue in the Civil Military Liaison Conference has failed to ensure proper follow-up action on the decision”, adding “it seems that entire political leadership from Jammu region, which is part and parcel in the present dispensation, has remained non-serious towards the long pending demand of the farmers”.
According to the sources, Ministry of Defence has to compensate the farmers of LoC whose land was taken for fencing while as the Ministry of Home Affairs has to make payment to the farmers living on the International Border.
The most astonishing aspect is that several officers of the civil administration are unaware of the vital decision taken in Civil Military Liaison Conference while as others, when approached, confirmed that no direction came from the higher authorities for conduct of detailed survey with Army.
It is pertinent to mention here that issue of compensation had repeatedly been raised in the Parliament and State Assembly but all the Governments turned deaf ears to the demand despite extending assurances on the floor of Parliament and State Legislature that too after dubbing the compensation issue as most genuine one.
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