After loss, bereaved border families await compensation

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 3

While residents along the 198-km international border and nearly 800-km Line of Control (LoC) keep falling prey to Pakistani bullets and shells, their next of kin get inadequate relief in lieu of their lives in the name of compensation.

An amount of Rs 1 lakh and a menial job are all that the next of kin of those who get killed in Pakistani firing get. This relief, too, reaches the family in distress after a considerable passage of time.

Banso Devi and Kanta Devi of Sai Khurd, who were sisters-in-law, and Pawan Kumar Choudhary of Abdullian were killed during Pakistani shelling in the wee hours on August 28. Their next of kin are yet to get any relief from the government.

On August 15 and 16, six civilians were killed in Pakistani shelling on the LoC in Poonch district. “Under SRO 43, their details have been collected and sent to the Jammu Deputy Commissioner. The legal heirs of the deceased will be given Rs 1 lakh each and a government job,” said RS Pura Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Deep Raj.

“While there is absolutely no problem in the cases of Pawan Kumar Choudhary and Kanta Devi, in case of Banso Devi we may have to consider her husband Subhash Chander as her legal heir because she has left behind two minor children who cannot be considered for government job,” said the SDM.

Under SRO 43 (Sadr-e-Riyasat Ordinance), the government gives benefits like cash compensation and government jobs to the next of kin of civilians killed in militancy or Pakistani firing on the border.

The official said the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the victims of Pakistani firing had not been approved yet.

“Last month, the MHA had mooted a proposal to provide Rs 5 lakh compensation to the family of every civilian killed and Rs 50,000 to those injured in Pakistani firing. It is yet to be approved by the Union Cabinet,” he said.

After approval by Union Cabinet, the next kin of those getting killed in Pakistani firing on the border would be entitled to Rs 5 lakh as compensation by the Centre and Rs 1 lakh with a government job from the state government under SRO 43.

“Under SRO 43, there is another provision for Rs 5 lakh as cash compensation to such victims, but in that case, no job is provided to the next of kin. Therefore, people opt for Rs 1 lakh as compensation with a job,” said the official.

On September 2 last year, then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured residents along the border that the issues of giving benefit of SRO 43 to shelling-affected border residents and compensation for acquisition of their land would be discussed by the Cabinet.

“The loss of precious lives in border firing cannot be compensated, but we want the bereaved families to get the benefit of SRO 43. We will take all necessary measures in this regard,” he said.