HILL KAKA (POONCH): Residents of Hill Kaka, once known as the hotbed of militants in Jammu and Kashmir, have been protesting against alleged bungling in relief distribution. The relief was sanctioned to the residents who were one of the first to fight militancy and in the process had to live away from their homes for two years.

Economic loss

In April 2003, the Army began an operation to flush out militants from Hill Kaka. The locals, along with the Army, also fought militants to liberate the area. To guard against civilian casualties, the residents were prevented from using their land for two years. This resulted in huge economic loss to the locals as their cattle did not have any meadows to graze during summer. Many of them were even forced to sell cattle.

After several deputations to higher authorities, the Defence Ministry finally allocated relief to the locals based on the losses incurred by them. But, now the locals are up in arms against the Revenue Department, the main authority for relief distribution. Around Rs. 8 crores has been distributed till now. According to the locals, the relief has been denied to over 1,000 families.

Qasim Kassana, community leader of Marrah village, in whose area 400 families were to be given relief, said: "Most of the relief has been given to the people who did not deserve it. I have made representations to various people but there has been no reply. And what hurts is many people who dared to rebel against the militants and even lost their family members are being deprived of the relief." And some of those who got the relief were not given the full amount.

Karam Din of Marrah said: "I was to be given Rs. 74,000 and till now I have been given only Rs.15,000." Many locals are losing their patience. Begum Noor, who lost her husband, Lal Hussian, in a militant attack at Teli Katha in Surankote on June 24, 2004, tried to commit suicide a week ago. It was only after the intervention of village elders that she was saved. Begum Noor's husband and daughter were killed as the former's family reportedly aided the Hill Kaka operation.

Haji Mohammad Sadiq, Sarpanch of Hill Kaka, says: "The relief is being denied to those who lost their loved ones in the fight against militancy. We are giving wrong signals to the locals who are fighting militancy and the so-called Jehad."

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