A family of Kashmiri pandits which returned to Sheikhopora five years ago
Srinagar:
Life is full of struggles for Veena Kaul, 65, who returned to Kashmir after living in Jammu for nearly 20 years. Her family, of three, shares a two-room apartment with another family at a migrant camp for Kashmiri pandits in Budgam district's Sheikhopora, 15 km from Srinagar.
"We are two families living in this apartment, we have a common kitchen and bathroom and we face a lot of problems. There is no privacy," says Ms Kaul.
1200 pandits returned to different locations in Kashmir five years ago. They were given government jobs. They live in migrant camps - in Budgam, Pulwama, Baramulla and Kupwara - but do not have amenities like ration cards or voter identification cards. Most of them say that they have been let down.
"For the last five years, nothing has been done to rehabilitate us. We are sharing apartments. I live here but my family is in Jammu, our family life has been disturbed," says 40-year-old Arvind Kaul, one of the many who returned.
The government has now decided to open 3,000 more government jobs and twice the number of transit accommodations for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. All this will cost 2,000 crore. But, those who have already moved back to Kashmir say if those planning to come to the valley were to see their fate, they may not return. It is not just security concerns but the day to day problems that are most worrying.
"Where is the rehabilitation? The government had made big promises about rehabilitation, we were told crores have been spent, but where has the money been spent," says Rajindra Pandit, a school teacher.
"The government has cheated us," says Sanjay Raina, who returned to Budgam five years ago.
Most of those who have already moved back say if the government is serious about bringing another batch of Kashmiri pandits, it should first create the right conditions and facilities for their return.
"We are two families living in this apartment, we have a common kitchen and bathroom and we face a lot of problems. There is no privacy," says Ms Kaul.
1200 pandits returned to different locations in Kashmir five years ago. They were given government jobs. They live in migrant camps - in Budgam, Pulwama, Baramulla and Kupwara - but do not have amenities like ration cards or voter identification cards. Most of them say that they have been let down.
"For the last five years, nothing has been done to rehabilitate us. We are sharing apartments. I live here but my family is in Jammu, our family life has been disturbed," says 40-year-old Arvind Kaul, one of the many who returned.
The government has now decided to open 3,000 more government jobs and twice the number of transit accommodations for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. All this will cost 2,000 crore. But, those who have already moved back to Kashmir say if those planning to come to the valley were to see their fate, they may not return. It is not just security concerns but the day to day problems that are most worrying.
"Where is the rehabilitation? The government had made big promises about rehabilitation, we were told crores have been spent, but where has the money been spent," says Rajindra Pandit, a school teacher.
"The government has cheated us," says Sanjay Raina, who returned to Budgam five years ago.
Most of those who have already moved back say if the government is serious about bringing another batch of Kashmiri pandits, it should first create the right conditions and facilities for their return.
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