Sajad Lone visits Karnah, urges rehabilitation of shelling victims

Kupwara, May 12: Peoples Conference (PC) President and Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone, Monday visited the border Tehsil Karnah of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district to assess the situation in the wake of recent cross-border shelling.

Speaking to media representatives on the sideline of his visit, Lone expressed deep concern over the plight of residents, saying that fear and devastation was prevalent in the area.

“People here have faced collateral damage; scores of houses have been damaged. It seems as if people are no longer living here, they are extremely terrified and traumatized. I pray to Almighty that the ceasefire agreement between the two countries lasts forever so that the residents of Jammu and Kashmir’s border areas do not suffer again” he said.

PC Chairman strongly advocated for the inclusion of individual bunkers under different government schemes for the residents of Karnah and residents of other border areas. He assured that upon his return to Srinagar, he will take up the matter with the government.

“There must be full compensation for those who lost homes and shops, either fully or partially, as they are innocent and were caught in circumstances beyond their control” Lone added. He further suggested that the government should consider using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of all MLA’s to rehabilitate the victims.

Calling for both short-term and long-term rehabilitation measures, Lone stated that government must take steps to ensure that the education of affected families does not suffer.

He underlined the need for mass-scale construction of individual bunkers in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that it was a reality to come up with individual bunkers in borders to thwart any potential eventuality in future.