Victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots took the employees of Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) to task on Friday when they locked the gate of the office located on Ferozepur Road and blocked traffic.
The victims were protesting against the delay in the making of red cards for compensation. The employees, with the exception of the estate officer, had already deserted the office — having received a tip-off about the event.
Gurdeep Kaur, president of the women wing of Danga Peerat Welfare Association, said: “More than 2,800 files of riot victims are gathering dust at PUDA. None have been cleared till date. Moreover, 109 cases, which have received nod for grant, are yet to get Rs 2 lakh each.” Earlier, riot victims had received several chances to make the red cards. The latest list in this regard has to be sent by May 18.
Additional Commissioner Administrator, Dr Jaswant Singh, who was on leave, returned after the protest started.
A S Rajpal, senior vice-president of the welfare association said: “We have repeatedly presented our cases before the chief minister and our files are ‘genuine’, but, bureaucrats here are rejecting the files for no rhyme or reason.”
However, when Newsline contacted Dr Jaswant Singh, he said: “I have received nearly 912 files, which are circulating since 2007, and all are ‘rejected’ cases. They don’t have ample proof of residence, shift to Punjab after the riots and so on. I will look at the files again, but proof has to be submitted if they want relief.”
The Central government had approved a Rs 440 crore for distribution to about 22,000 families in the state. But till date, only 13,000 families have received this grant. The remaining Rs 180 crore is still lying with the state government.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/1984-riot-victims-lock-puda-office/790582/0
The victims were protesting against the delay in the making of red cards for compensation. The employees, with the exception of the estate officer, had already deserted the office — having received a tip-off about the event.
Gurdeep Kaur, president of the women wing of Danga Peerat Welfare Association, said: “More than 2,800 files of riot victims are gathering dust at PUDA. None have been cleared till date. Moreover, 109 cases, which have received nod for grant, are yet to get Rs 2 lakh each.” Earlier, riot victims had received several chances to make the red cards. The latest list in this regard has to be sent by May 18.
Additional Commissioner Administrator, Dr Jaswant Singh, who was on leave, returned after the protest started.
A S Rajpal, senior vice-president of the welfare association said: “We have repeatedly presented our cases before the chief minister and our files are ‘genuine’, but, bureaucrats here are rejecting the files for no rhyme or reason.”
However, when Newsline contacted Dr Jaswant Singh, he said: “I have received nearly 912 files, which are circulating since 2007, and all are ‘rejected’ cases. They don’t have ample proof of residence, shift to Punjab after the riots and so on. I will look at the files again, but proof has to be submitted if they want relief.”
The Central government had approved a Rs 440 crore for distribution to about 22,000 families in the state. But till date, only 13,000 families have received this grant. The remaining Rs 180 crore is still lying with the state government.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/1984-riot-victims-lock-puda-office/790582/0
