Scores of families evacuated from the banks of Jhelum river a decade ago on Saturday staged a protest at Press Enclave here, to demand rehabilitation.
The protestors, including women, assembled under thebanner of Jhelum River House Rehabilitation Union and raised pro-justiceslogans.
The affected families, who were putting up along the banks of the river between the Deputy Commissioner’s office and Fateh Kadal, said that they were asked to evacuate with the promise that within three days they would be allotted land by the government for construction of their houses.
“It was in 2012 that our houses were dismantled by theauthorities. It has been more than six years now and our files are still eatingdust in the government offices,” said the union president Ghulam Mohi-ud-din.
He said that the government was ignoring theirplight despite its own orders for their rehabilitation for which all theformalities have already been completed.
“Presently, 120 families are suffering, living inrented accommodations. All the affected families work as labourers to earntheir livelihood and cannot afford to buy houses on their own,” he said.
“The process (of rehabilitation) was initiated in2008 with the selection of 120 families who were to be shifted from both sidesof Jhelum River. In 2012 our sheds were demolished and 120 families were givenorder slips for rehabilitation,” said Bilal Ahmed Rah, vice president of theunion.
The protesters appealed to Governor Satya Pal Malikto look into the matter and direct the concerned authorities to expedite theprocess of their rehabilitation forthwith.