210 plaints by Pandits, action in 5 cases only

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 17

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits have filed 210 complaints regarding encroachment of their immovable properties in the Valley since 1990 when they were forced to flee due to the armed insurgency.

However, the government has taken action in just five cases under the J&K Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997. The government said this in a written reply to a question put by BJP MLC Girdhari Lal Raina in the Legislative Council. According to the details given by Minister for Disaster Management Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Javed Mustafa Mir, Anantnag led the districts with 33 complaints having been filed by the minority community. The status of the complaints in the other districts was Baramulla (32), Kupwara (29), Kulgam (22), Budgam (21), Pulwama (17), Srinagar (17), Ganderbal (16), Bandipora (14) and Shopian (9).

The five cases in which the government had acted included restoration to owners 15 marlas in Baramulla, 31 kanals in Kulgam, 3 kanals in Pulwama and two evictions in Anantnag where the administration had taken over the custody of the properties.

The government claims that Hindus left 85,749.76 kanals behind in 1990 after the insurgency and selective killing campaign started by militants groups forced them to leave their homeland. The property has been identified by the district magistrates who act as its custodian under the Distress Sales Act, 1997. “The complaints are being addressed in a time-bound manner as per the existing provision of the J&K Migrant Immovable property (Preservation, Protection and restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997”, said the government. Raina said the government claimed that there were 210 complaints but the administration was not taking strict action. "I have received several deputations that revenue officials and district officials are not taking action and cases remain pending for years," said Raina.