Rs 1.3L relief not enough: Shelling-hit residents

Peace has returned to the borders in Jammu and Kashmir following the understanding between India and Pakistan, but for families whose houses were heavily damaged due to Pakistani shelling, the wait to receive “sufficient compensation” is getting longer.

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While the authorities have so far provided the highest compensation of Rs 1.3 lakh to those whose houses were heavily damaged, the residents say it is too little to think about rebuilding their houses.

Following India’s strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) last month to hit the terror infrastructure, Pakistani forces launched heavy artillery shelling on villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir. The shelling caused extensive damage to houses and left many residents homeless.

In the Valley, heavy damage was caused to houses in several villages of border district Baramulla.

Shelling caused damage in neighbouring Kupwara district as well.

Abdul Hamid Khan from Kalgie village of Baramulla’s Uri is one among them. Khan told The Tribune that the administration has given him compensation of Rs 1.3 lakh. But he says it is too little.

“Tell me what will we do with such a small amount?” he said. “We can’t even think of undertaking any construction because we won’t be able to buy anything with this amount.”

Khan, who has a family of seven members, said that the government should do something “urgently” regarding the compensation to the families who were impacted by the shelling.

The family has now shifted for some time to Baramulla town because they don’t have a place to live.

“We have no idea what the government is planning to do with us. But they should see the pittance we have been provided. It is extremely less,” said Khan.

Another Uri resident Arif Hussan from Jabla village whose house was also damaged in last month’s shelling said that when an earthquake struck Uri in 2005, the same amount was provided to the victims.

“That was in 2005 and today is 2025. The government should see how the prices have increased over the years. We can’t even get tin sheets for our house in such an amount,” Hussain said.

He said he too has been given a compensation of Rs 1.3 lakh by the administration. “We have been informed that unless the government announces a package, we have to wait for more compensation,” said Hussain.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said last month that assessment of the damage is being done and once the damage assessment report is available, “we will work on the compensation package.”