HC seeks MHA’s response to petition on uniform compensation to victims of cross-border firing, landmine blasts
Srinagar: J&K High Court has issued notice to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI) and J&K administration, seeking their response to a petition seeking uniform compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the persons affected by “cross-border firing and landmine blasts”.
The notice was issued by a division bench of Chief Justices Pankaj Mithal and Mohan Lal in a PIL filed by ‘Uri Foundation Lagama’ through Sajid Naseer.
The petitioner through his advocate Syed Musaib prayed uniform compensation in terms of the revised “guidelines of Central scheme for assistance to civilian victims, families of the victims of terrorism, communal or left-wing violence, cross-border firing and mines (IED).
The petitioner also sought that there should be no adherence to any cut-off date.
He asked for a direction to the concerned authorities to expedite the construction work of community bunkers within the sub-division Uri. Protection of the lives of the people can be ensured only by means of these bunkers, he added.
The restriction time for the movement for the residents living in the fenced area in Uri sub-division should also be eased, demanded the petitioner.
“There is an urgent need for the unresolved tragedy of landmines to be addressed by the governmental authorities at both grass-root level as well as national level,” he said.
“The sufferings caused by the landmines are viewed as a ‘crime against humanity’ across the world, and yet the guidelines of 2019 instead of even recognizing it as an issue or crime has brazenly created inequality among the victims and survivors,” reads the petition.
The court posted the matter for further consideration in 2022.
