Winter adds to miseries of Kashmiri Pandits in transit camps

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 18

While the state and Central governments are still undecided how to resettle 3.50 lakh displaced Kashmiri Pandits back in the Valley, those who have returned to the Valley under the Prime Minister’s Employment Package are having a harrowing time in the current freezing weather conditions in their makeshift pre-fabricated transit camps.

Without proper shelter and basic amenities, it serves as a constant reminder of their troubled identity after the minority community was forced to leave the Valley after the onset of militancy in 1990.

For nearly 1,500 Pandit youth who are at present posted in the Valley, snow does not bring cheer, but miseries as electricity lines get snapped, roads to the camp remain blocked for weeks and with water pipes frozen, those living in the camps have to look for drinking water in surrounding villages.

Most employees, including women, engaged under the employment package in 2010 during the previous Congress led UPA government are living in segregated clusters at Hal village, Vessu and Bandipora while some of themlive at Sheikhpora and Mattan.

“Pandit employees are struggling throughout the Valley as government is giving just assurances. Shelters offer little protection against dampness and bitterly cold temperatures and plastic storage tanks installed to supply water get frozen. At times we have to boil snow on gas stoves to quench our thirst,” said Sunil Bhat, who lives in Vessu transit camp.

Employees allege that the local administration is not taking interest in solving the issues and despite assurances by the ministers who often visit the camps, nothing has changed in the last five years.

Relief Commissioner RK Pandita said the issues of Pandit employees had been discussed at a high-level meeting and rehabilitation package announced by the Centre included providing better accommodation.