Srinagar, February 29: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday issued notices to nearly 100 alleged illegal occupants of apartments in Kashmiri migrant neighbourhoods in Jammu town. The Jammu and Kashmir government said that it was a part of an exercise to ensure accommodation to genuine Kashmiri Pandit migrants in these apartments. The alleged illegal occupants have been asked to respond to the notices by March 10. Kashmiri Pandits Discuss Rehabilitation Issue with Foreign Envoys Delegation.

"We have issued a notification after we found that 93 flats have been occupied in violation of norms. It’s a beginning and we are trying to do things as per the law. These flats are locked out since long,” relief commissioner (migrants) TK Bhat told Hindustan Times. According to Bhat, over 300 applications are pending with the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants) for allotment of accommodation to registered Kashmiri migrant families. Kashmiri Pandits 'Pledge to Return Home' With 'Hum Aayenge Apne Watan' Dialogue From Shikara.

"During an extensive exercise undertaken by the officers of relief organization, it emerged that 93 flats in Kashmiri migrants' colonies and camps at Muthi, Nagrota, Purkhoo and mini township Jagti have been found to be illegally occupied by the people who have not been allotted these flats," he added. Subsequently, notices were issued. The alleged illegal residents have been asked to cite justifiable reasons as to why their allotments should not be cancelled.

These houses were built for the rehabilitation of migrants who are Kashmiri pandits. They fled the Kashmir valley after the outbreak of separatist violence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. "Only genuine Kashmiri Pandit families displaced due to terrorism from Kashmir should get these flats," Shadi Lal Pandita, president of the Jagti Tenement committee in Nagrota, was quoted as saying.

Pandita said that many people who had been allotted houses don't live in them. On the other hand, there are needy migrants who are still living in rented flats and surviving on government relief, he said. "They are the deserving cases but are suffering. Genuine cases should be given the accommodation and not those having constructed their own houses,” he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 29, 2020 08:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).