Shiban Khaibri
The birth of Pakistan having taken place on account of hate and prejudice , she is, right from day one till date, engrossed in troubling this (parent) country and is always seen swamped with the parasite of that animosity and hate instinct that even after having taken recourse to the most detestable proxy war against India and having failed in its diabolical intentions , it is constantly violating border peace by unprovoked firing , immediately troubling the inhabitants living along the International border (IB) in Jammu division. The plight of our people living over there is unprecedented in many ways. Normal life is derailed all of a sudden; panic engulfs the residents especially innocent children, women and the old – when Pakistan resorts to directly targeting their houses. We often see on TV Channels and in news papers the pictures of gaping holes in the roofs of the houses hit even with mortar shells, their walls, cattle sheds etc punctuated with bullet shots. The resultant intermittent migration to safer places taking along whatever minimum household items they can lay their hands upon and taking shelter in comparatively safer places, government offices , schools or relief camps during the trouble days, projects a heart rending picture. Imagine the plight, when it is the dead of night and people are asleep during which deafening sounds and rattling all of a sound shatters their peace, sending them running helter- skelter for safety .
The children of these areas usually have to suffer immensely as they lose precious days of schooling and hence studies. There seems to be no arrangement from the Government for the students in such emergencies. The educational institutions become otherwise the first casualties in the country whenever there is apprehension of any incident or one has occurred which principally has got nothing to do with students but when there is shelling and firing from a hostile terrorist country, the schools in these border areas are bound to get immediately shut. Arnia and R. S. Pura sectors usually the worst hit, have their schools closed for days together. One is always apprehensive in the state administration over there as to when temporary normalcy could return to open these schools. One of the nefarious plans of Pakistan sponsored proxy war and the hostilities along the IB are to deny education facilities to our School going students which perhaps speaks for burning scores of schools in Kashmir division to deny education to the students and also with the same yard stick in Jammu sector too, make schools their targets. On the other hand, the perpetual fear nursed by the young students of getting hit because of Pakistani shelling has a telling effect on their health too, apart on their faculties. The sense of there being, in a time of fierce competition in education, loss of studies affecting their prospects in exams turns them frustrated.
With migration by the scared residents fearing the safety of their lives, the villages project a deserted look . Their standing crops and live stock suffer as both cannot be looked after properly and in the extreme conditions – absolutely not at all. If these residents are asked to brave such hostilities and not migrate unless there were escalations of abnormal nature, then the basic requirements are construction of bunkers but no turnaround in this basic requirement is visible in these border areas despite many assurances given to them by successive Governments. Construction of bunkers is to be given top most priority by the government to instill a sense of confidence and safety in these border residents. Another idea had been mulled about identifying some safer areas near by the affected villages and small plots either free of cost or absolutely at nominal costs provided to them which again has remained confined to mere promises only . The dilemma is that these Jammu border residents are engaged in direct and indirect agricultural activities and cannot obviously abandon to choose other activities as their livelihood is at stake. Massive insurance and other supportive schemes are needed to be introduced failing which it could have serious long term effects on the overall sensitive scenario of these border areas. Electric supplies and irrigation facilities too need to be set right and ensured to cater to their basic requirements.
A few days back, a woman succumbed to the injuries due to shelling from across the border and non availability of ambulance facilities resulted in her death while other members of the family are reportedly undergoing treatment. We have many NGOs who could also step in along with the Governmental agencies in order to have ambulances in such areas with facilities of plying them in emergencies equipped with minimum basic supportive system . Health centers must have doctors and medicines to manage medical emergencies at the initial stages. The government needs to accord priority to this aspect .
Another problem is that of delayed payment of ex-gratia monetary assistance to the affected families who suffered loss of their dear ones as also that of material including houses, cow sheds and animals. Once there is provision for such monetary help , there is no reason as also no justification in delaying that or subjecting such payments to undue and avoidable procedures. A very important aspect of the problem of providing the requisite help is about those who lose their limb or a part and are rendered physically challenged. In most of such cases timely assistance is not provided and they are to visit offices and meet authorities repeatedly for the assistance which is there as a matter of right as also a humanitarian gesture. Shutting eyes towards this part of the world by the Government as well as by various social agencies is tantamount to an irresponsible and even sadistic behavior.
A team of central government must intermittently visit such areas and in close cooperation with the State Government assess their genuine needs and address them. A hard fact is that the State Government is always complaining of shortage of funds but that cuts no ice since many wasteful administrative expenditures and non realizing of due revenue contribute to or compound the financial problems. It should be borne in mind that living along and nearer to border areas is otherwise a daring act and most of the young people in these areas, when contacted in moments of border skirmishes, desire to join army not only to eke out a living but to “teach a lesson” to the devil “once for all” for troubling them unnecessarily and without any rhyme, reason or provocations. These are the feelings out of perpetual troubles and disturbances they face from such aggressive acts from across the border.
The political rhetoric that “hostilities between the two countries” as put forth by the present as well as by ex-CMs usually “are affecting the lives of our people” is putting the victim and the offender on the same pedestal which is grave injustice, perhaps intentionally done, with the facts. Hypothetically speaking, if all the problems with the rogue country were resolved to its “satisfaction”, still that country will not desist indulging in the treacherous and deceitful activities against this country as doing so, are its articles of faith and hence political policy as politics and state craft are deriving strength and guidance there -from. Agreed, that country is virtually exposed and as a natural corollary is under tremendous international pressure. Its China card and impact of Jihadi terror both are shrinking and proving counterproductive, thanks to the diplomatic efforts of and victory by Prime Minister Modi but because old habits die very hard, even after a century , going by what that country is indulging in , it shall continue to be day dreaming of inflicting ” 1000 cuts” and for that, sickeningly such border shelling and violations shall be going on . While Indian forces and the people shall be humbling and effectively thwarting Pakistan’s nefarious designs, our state and Central Governments must see that our border residents are not left alone and must receive all genuinely required assistance and moral support so that they derive and sustain strength enough to brave Pakistani misadventures of the like under reference.
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