RS 50 CR FOR BUNKERS;CM comes to nomads’ rescue; ‘no dislocation during anti-encroachment drive’

By admin On Nov 22, 2016

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Monday directed the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu division to ensure that the poor nomadic communities living in forest areas for decades together are not harassed and dislocated during anti-encroachment drive.
The direction came during a review meeting the Chief Minister held with the Deputy Commissioners and District SSPs of Jammu division here on Monday.
The Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioners that though they should go after big land-grabbers whole-hog who have encroached huge chunks at prime places but the poor and hapless nomads who have been protecting the forests for decades should not be harassed.
Mehbooba Mufti asked the Deputy Commissioners that an otherwise prudent administrative action aimed at retrieving state properties should not be portrayed as a campaign against a nomadic hapless community which has all along been protecting the forests and whose socio-economic activity is also closely linked to forests.
Quoting Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said the Prime Minister has also made it clear that nobody has the right to snatch away the land of Tribals where they have been living for decades.
“It’s the priority of our government to ensure that Tribals get their right. No one has right to snatch away their lands,” the Prime Minister had said while inaugurating the first National Tribal Carnival at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi last month.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister took a detailed appraisal from the Jammu divisional administration regarding the relief, rescue and rehabilitation plans devised by the respective district administrations in view of the cross border shelling going on for some time.
The Chief Minister was informed that an adequate rehabilitation plan has been put in place and spots have been identified where people would be relocated in case of emergencies.
Mehbooba Mufti enquired about the status of harvesting in the border areas and she was informed that additional ration needs to be sent to the villages of Balakote sector which have seen a dip in crop yield due to late harvesting. The Chief Minister directed initiating the process of identification of land for construction of bunkers for people of the border villages where they can stay in case of emergencies. She added that Rs. 50 crore are being earmarked for construction of bunker facilities in border areas.