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Interim relief for Gohana victims raised

Special Correspondent

Members of the affected families meet Chief Minister Hooda seeking enhancement of compensation

CHANDIGARHHISAR: Pending the assessment of compensation to be paid for the loss of property or articles damaged in the recent disturbances in Gohana town of Sonepat district, the Haryana Government on Sunday decided to enhance the interim relief to Rs. 50,000 for each affected family.

An official spokesman said that a delegation, consisting of elders and members of the affected families, met the Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in New Delhi in the morning seeking enhancement of the interim relief. The Commissioner of Rohtak Division, N.C.Wadhwa, will supervise the relief, rehabilitation and restoration works being undertaken for the affected families in Gohana. He will supervise the assessment being carried out by the Committee, consisting of XEN, PWD (B and R) and Tehsildar, constituted earlier to assess the loss of properties or articles.

The Committee has been directed to complete the assessment work within three days instead of one week as stipulated earlier to speedily determine the final compensation to be paid to the affected families. It may be recalled that the PWD (B and R) has already taken up the work of repair and restoration of damaged houses for which the entire expenditure will be borne by the State Government.

According to a PTI report from Gohana, the INLD general secretary Ajay Chautala flayed the Haryana Government for ``failing'' to protect the Dalits and demanded its dismissal. After visiting the Balmiki Colony and meeting some of the affected families whose houses were burnt down, he told reporters that the Hooda Government had ``failed'' to protect the Dalits. He demanded suitable compensation for the victims.

A delegation of Haryana Jat Mahasabha, led by its State president Kuldeep Goswal and vice-president Ranbir Chaudhary visited Garhwal village to pay their condolences to the family of Baljit Singh, whose murder on August 27 reportedly triggered the Gohana incident.

Threat to change religion

CHANDIGARHHISAR: Bharatiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj leader Dev Singh Asur on Sunday said that people of his community would announce their decision to convert on September 11 at Chandigarh.

Addressing media persons here, Dr Asur said: ``This is being done to express our resentment against the torching of houses of Dalits in Gohana.''

The new religion to be embraced will be announced at the rally. -- UNI

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