Jammu: A majority of Kashmiri Pandit employees, who had struck work following the killing of Rahul Bhat by militants last year, have returned to work, said a senior official of the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
“I reject this notion that all Kashmiri Pandit employees are protesting in Jammu. A majority of these employees have already joined their offices (and) we are releasing their salaries. They have understood the importance of reporting to work,” Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang Kundbarao Pole told PTI.
Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit employee, was shot dead by militants inside his office at Chadoora in Budgam district in May last year. The killing had sparked off protests by the Kashmiri Pandit employees who refused to return to work.
A group of protesting employees left the Valley and demonstrated in Jammu, demanding that they be relocated out of Kashmir till the security situation improved.
Though the administration agreed to look into most of the demands of the Kashmiri Pandits (KPs), it refused to relocate them out of Kashmir. It further hardened its stand against the protesting employees and stopped salaries of those who did not return to work.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir police stated that work was going on to expeditiously complete transit accommodations for the Kashmiri Pandit employees posted in the Valley.
“The government has reserved 6,000 jobs for the Kashmiri Pandits under the Prime Minister employment package. The selection process is almost complete and 6,000 flats are being raised at 17 places in Kashmir for them,” a police officer said.
“We have tried to establish these accommodations near main roads and not in the interiors. However, this also depends on the availability of government land,” he said.
Pole said while police personnel will be deployed for the security of these accommodations, preference has been given to set up these flats near CRPF camps so that the occupants feel a sense of security and protection.
He said the compounds for Kashmiri Pandits employees will have other facilities like mini hospitals, anganwari centres and fair price retail shops.
While 600 flats for the employees are already operational, another 500 will be completed by March-end. The total number of flats is expected to go up to 2,000 by June this year.
“Till now, 600 flats are completed at Vessu (Kulgam) and Sheihkpura (Budgam) area. Prefabricated huts have been provided at Natnusa and Veerwan in Baramulla. By March 2023, nearly 500 flats will be completed and in June 2023, we are expecting the completion of 2,000 flats,” the divisional commissioner added.
