AIIMS project: Relocation of Gujjars begins

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 27

The district administration has finally began the process of shifting over 200 Gujjar families from the land identified for the construction of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the Vijaypur area of Samba district.

All these families would be rehabilitated and settled in the Rakh Barnoti area, adjacent to the upcoming AIIMS. They would be given 1.5 kanals per family. It took almost three years for the district administration to negotiate with these families.

“One family has already shifted while the remaining families too are willing to settle on the new land. Their demand is thatthe government should ensure electricity and water supply in the area prior to their shifting which is being expedited,” a senior officer said.

Giving details, the officer said 204 Gujjar families are to be shifted to the new place. “We have identified 350 kanals for their rehabilitation, besides they are being compensated for their ‘khullas’ (mud houses) as well as cemented houses. We are also providing a compensation of Rs 50,000 per family to be required for their shifting. We have already compensated 37 families while others will be paid compensation in due course of time,” the officer said.

Official sources said there were around 330 families who were occupying nearly 650 kanals.

“The process of clearing all major roadblocks in the project got an impetus after the imposition of the Governor rule in the state on June 20 as interference of politicians has virtually stopped in the day-to-day functioning of different departments,” the sources added.

The state government has identified as 1,954 kanals for the Rs 2,000-crore AIIMS project which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) on November 7, 2015.

Pertinently, some politicians were instigating nomadic Gujjar families against their shifting from the land identified forthe project. BJP national president Amit Shah, on June 23, had targeted the PDP for not allocating land for AIIMS in Jammu despite the Centre approving the project.

Being moved to Rakh Barnoti area

• In all, 204 Gujjar families have begun shifting from the land identified for the construction of the AIIMS in the Vijaypur area of Samba district
• Alternative land has been identified in the Rakh Barnoti area for their rehabilitation
• They are being compensated for their ‘khullas’ (mud houses) as well as cemented houses