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Days after Jammu Development Authority demolished the shops of several Kashmiri Pandits in Muthi Phase-2 quarters in Jammu, the migrants who have nowhere to go have urged the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants) to rehabilitate them.
12 shops were demolished out of which 8 shops were running. Kashmiri migrant shop owners said that the relief they get is not sufficient to run the family and they were dependent on the earnings from the shops. Kashmiri Migrants living in Migrant quarters of Phase 2 Muthi camp had been running shops opposite to the Quaters for last more than thirty years. According to them their shops were demolished without notice and now they had no earning and only dependent on migrant relief which they get from the Government . Ashok Raina a shop owner said, "I came during 90s. My shop was here since last 35 years. The day camp was built we had started the shops. The then commissioner supported us. We started small shops for our livelihood. Our children were taught from this money. Day before yesterday some instruction came JDA. Without any notice, they told to vacate the shops. Earlier also they came. They said that we would take action only after compensating." He further said that yesterday without any notice they carried out the demolition. "In half an hour they did it. We were on the streets and felt like we are in 90s again. Commissioner allocated space to keep luggage. We were told that we would be rehabilitated. No government official came to see our plight. There were 8 to 10 running shops. When I came I was young. Now I am old. What will be do?," he further said. Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants) Arvind Karwani said that the shops were constructed on JDA's land. "JDA has demolished them. We dont have many details because JDA is a different agency. We have already floated a tender for the Muthi Phase-2 migrant camp. There had been a demand from the locals that shops should be constructed like other camps... The tender has been floated and the work will begin soon... Those who had their shops since the 1990s would be given a preference... The allotment would be done as soon as the hops are made... All the eligible people would be given shops," he said. Another shop owner said all these land belonged to revenue authority. "We built temporary houses. No one condemned the act. Where will we go? We had a general stores," he said. President Muthi Migrant camp Anil Bhan said that JDA has demolished 10 shops without notification. "The famililes came here 35 years ago and depended on it. We are fighting for it since last 3 years. There was a stay. JDA was told not to carry out demolition till new shops are built. The old quarters are intact. After this the debris have not been removed. Here construction of EWS colony has been sanctioned but work will statrt after 6 months. Relief commission has promised that new shops will be built but no authority from state government came here," he said. He said that the JDA could have waited for 2 months. 10 houses were running their livelihood. (ANI)
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