Jammu, Jan 21 (KNS): National Conference leaders on Sunday visited shelling affected villages along International Border in the Jammu Province, took stock of the situation and expressed solidarity with the sufferers.
National Conference Additional General Secretary Dr Sheikh Mustaffa Kamal, accompanied by State Vice President Rattan Lal Gupta besides Abdul Gani Teli, Pradeep Bali, Farooq Mughal and other local functionaries, visited the Samba Sector and expressed grave concern over loss of life and damage to the property in the wake of continuous shelling from across the International Border during past few days. They also sought immediate ex-gratia to those who have lost their dear ones in the shelling and preliminary compensation for the damages to houses and loss of livestock.
The National Conference leaders also sought adequate boarding and lodging facilities for the displaced border dwellers with basics like medicare, power and drinking water. They also sought stationing of ambulances and deployment of mobile medical teams to meet the exigencies.
At Ban Glaad village, the border dwellers gave horrific account of the shelling, saying the villagers were living under constant threat and perpetual fear. They lamented over the neglect of PDP-BJP dispensation and said the promises of bunkers and allotment of five marla plots for raising safe shelters have proven to be hoax.
The border dwellers said their demand for reservation on the analogy of Line of Control residents and special recruitment drives have long been pending. They also sought compensation for the land holdings beyond the border fencing as their source of sustenance has hugely been impacted.
A team of functionaries and workers of Youth National Conference, Jammu Province visited Chandu Chak village in R. S Pura along International Border and expressed solidarity with the shelling victims.
The team led by YNC District President Rohit Kerni comprised Tejinder Pal Singh, Jalaj Choudhry, Reitish Koul, Nitin Goswami, Vishal Mahajan, Pawan Sharma, Harshil Koul, Neeraj Sharma, Neeraj Sharma and Mohit Gupta expressed anguish over lack of facilities to the displaced persons and called for urgent measures to ensure their comfortable stay in make-shift accommodations. (KNS)