Visit To Kashmiri Migrant Camps

Manmohan Wazir

A Report

Mr. Manmohan Wazir Member Advisory Council J&K visited Migrant Camps in Jammu last month in the course of an official visit to the State In this report, he has spelled some urgent the problems in each camp and made suggestions how to tackle these Ed.

Nagrota Room Tenements:

Against the total plan of 1250 tenements of 9x14 feet, as many as 486 are almost ready and are expected to be made available for occupation very soon. I found that this accommodation is fairly good and airy. I also went into the criteria to be followed for allotment and these stand the test of reasonableness. However, the residents of Nagrota Tented Camp are a little aggressive in pressing what they feel is their superior right for provision of full hutted accommodation on the specious ground that they are closest to the One Room tenements. I tried to explain though unsuccessfully that there is no such right of Hak-shafa in such matters.

There is also a request from these camp inmates that they may be given some sort of preference in securing employment in the FO.D. The State Government may consider what steps can be taken in this direction. There are some problems of internal drainage which need to be looked into.

Muthi One Room Tenements:

Almost all the dwellings in Phase-II(Dome type) are leaking and it was so even on the day when they were taken over by the migrants. The monsoons are approaching and there is urgent need to take steps for early and timely repair work. The Government may also consider taking such action as is considered advisable against the Agency involved in this construction. There have been cases of frequent sun-strokes and snake-bites and the required medicines were not available. There is also a need for augmenting the existing arrangements for water storage, adding a few more water points, a Middle School, a Fair Price Shop and K.Oil depot. The two Muthi camps have a connecting kaccha road but for an interruption due to a small nallah which could be made trafficable with little effort. I have requested the Relief Commissioner to kindly consider this matter. One Shri Ashok Kumar, son of Shri Bishamber Nath Bhat, r/o Yal (Pattan), District Baramulla informed me that his father was kidnapped on 3rd/4th Dec, 1990 and report to this effect was lodged in Police Station, Pattan. Shri Ashok Kumar wanted to know the whereabouts of his father. I would request the Director General of Police to kindly inform Ashok Kumar (care of Shri T.N. Bhat, Muthi Phase-II, Quarter No: A-012) about the present position of the case. If I am also informed I shall be grateful.

Muthi Tented Camp:

Some tents are worn out and need replacement. The Relief Commissioner told me that the survey of unserviceable tents and their replacement is a continuing process. Water supply in the toilets is also not proper.

Misriwala Camp:

The payment of relief amount for April and May, 1992 has not yet been made and that is causing inconvenience to the migrants here. I am told by the Relief Commissioner that some problems have arisen as a result of the earlier drawal from the Town Hall Treasury having been transferred to Talab Tillo treasury. I am taking up this matter with the Addl. Chief Secretary, Finance Department in Srinagar for his intervention. The One Room Tenements under construction have been stopped on a petition filed by the local private school, Prime-facie this petition seems to be based on mis-conceived ideas. We should take steps for early vacation of the stay order. Some essential medicines like anti-venom serum, Septran and Septran suspension etc. for children are required. There is no Lady Doctor here. I understand that some Lady Doctors were posted but they did not join. Even migrant Lady Doctors subsequently posted have not shown any inclination to join their duties here. I feel we should be firm in ordering them to join and perform this essential Government duty or else they should go.

Jhiri Camp:

The latrines are in a bad shape. There is no door or roof. The hand pumps are not in working order. There are no tents for the School. There is a Medical Centre but without medicines. The Relief Commissioner who was apprised of these problems is looking into them.

Purkhoo Camp :

Some tents require replacement. Here too relief for April and May, 1992 has not been paid for the same reasons. Some water pipes had been damaged which need to be repaired. Some service lines are also in need of repairs.

Talab Tillo Camp:

The ropes of some tents at the camp have been damaged and need to be replaced. The water supply for the bath-rooms is non-existent.

Indira Nagar Camp:

We have 136 families registered here. All the nine FlashLights are not working. The latrines are not properly cleaned, and more hand pumps are required. The ration dealer comes irregularly and mostly does not have full supply of all the items. Here too there is shortage of medicines. There was a demand for shifting of this Camp because of the feeling of insecurity due to the area being crime prone. While I can visualise the difficulty in shifting this Camp, I would suggest that the existing police arrangements be suitably beefed up.

Miran Sahib Forest Building: This accommodation is good. Understandably, the residents are reluctant to move from here.

S.R.T.C. Complex Camp:

130 families are residing here. The place is over- crowded. The migrants have made partitions with dirty gunny bags which add to the depression. The Relief Commissioner told me that this camp is included for allocation of the Nagrota One Room Tenements. For the time being we could consider giving some tents to them which could be pitched in the vacant space in the compound so that the congestion is relieved.

Labour Sarai:

The hand pump is not functioning properly. The clearance of lavatories is usually delayed. The Health Authorities may do some D.D.T. spray in the area. I was told that the Doctor remains generally absent. There is need for a common Middle School for this Camp as also the S.R.T.C. Camp.

M.A.M. Stadium :

Compared to the other Camps I found that this is some-what of a five star accommodation and I feel at some stage we will have difficulty in shifting the residents. It is my view that they should go to Nagrota or Muthi and we should be very firm in ensuring that they do not obstruct the shifting process. The Relief Commissioner informed me that allotment of One Room Tenements in their favour has already been made six months ago but they are refusing to go.

At the end of each day's visit I held long session with the Relief Commissioner his officers on the follow up action, While in respect of most of these points, the Relief Commissioner is already seized of the problems, he assured me that in regard to other points also he will take steps to mitigate their sufferings without avoidable delay.

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Courtesy:- Manmohan Wazir and 1992 June Koshur Samachar