Expressing concern over intermittent and unprovoked shelling from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, provincial President, National Conference Devender Singh Rana Saturday called for speedy completion of community bunkers and shelter sheds to ensure safety of life and property of civilians in the forward areas.
“During these grim times of COVID19, the people along the LoC are braving the brunt of Pakistan shelling that has not only created fear psychosis but also caused enormous sufferings to them,” Rana said in an interaction with party functionaries of Poonch district via video conferencing.
The interaction was organised by provincial Youth National Conference Ajaz Jan.
Rana expressed solidarity with the border residents, saying their welfare and wellbeing was responsibility of the entire nation for being frontline defence of the country.
He stressed the immediate need of completing bunkers and shelter sheds for their lodging in times of exigencies. “The element of security could have been infused among them had the promised shelter sheds and community bunkers been completed timely,” he said and lamented over non-fulfillment of commitments made in this regard in recent years.
Rana lauded the valour and fortitude with which the border dwellers were facing the situation, saying they deserved attention and compassion to meet the challenges, keeping in view the damages caused by shelling and loss of life in recent years.
He also called for drawing exigency plans in terms of mobile healthcare and evacuation facilities to ensure their transportation to safe areas whenever needed.
Rana also sought a course correction in the strategy for border residents, hoping the administration will realise the gravity of the situation and come forward with a pragmatic roadmap for their safety.
Jan said people living along the LoC were feeling a sense of neglect and deprivation with the administration failing in keeping up the commitments made from time to time. He said the administrative apathy has added to the miseries of people in terms of defunct utility services, scarce stocks of rations, dilapidated roads and non-functional health institutions.
Jan reminded the administration of the promises made with regard to shelter sheds, bunkers and allotment of plots to enable the residents of vulnerable areas to have something to bank upon during the times of emergencies and said nothing of the sort happened during the past six years.