Relief eludes war martyrs’ kin

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25

As many as 161 families of 1962, 1965 and 1971 war martyrs are still running pillar to post to avail compensation due to them.

Organising protests for the past several years, the families were promised Rs 1 crore as compensation by the then SAD-BJP government in October last year. A notification was also issued, declaring the award in three instalments to each affected family.

Nine months on, compensation still eludes such families.

Gursewak Singh, whose father Sepoy Piara Singh of Duladi village (Nabha) died in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, said, “The previous government had issued a notification announcing the compensation, which was not awarded till January. After that, the model code of conduct was enforced. Officials said we would receive our due after the code was lifted on March 15, but to no avail,” he lamented.

Gursewak, who is pursuing the case of affected families, said, “We were hoping that the new regime would allocate money for this purpose in the budget but it is silent on this issue. We recently met the Principal Secretary to the CM, who told us that our case would be cleared in the next Cabinet meeting,” he added.

Brig JS Arora (retd), Director, Sainik Welfare Board, Punjab, said, “The award was put on hold due to new government’s decision to review decisions taken by the previous government. The families will soon receive their dues.”