RAJOURI NOVEMBER 11(KNO): A high-level team of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India visited various forward villages along line of control in District Rajouri to assess quantum of damages, problem faced by people, public demands and issues for a broad-based redressal planning. The delegation was headed by Special Secretary MHA Rina Mitra, and comprising Joint Secretary Internal Security Gyanesh Kumar and Director MHA R K Swarankar. Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department, R. K. Goyal, Divisional Commissioner Dr. M.K Bhandari and IGP Dr. S. D. Singh Jamwal representing the State Government were also part of the delegation. Deputy Commissioner Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, DIG Deepak Slathia, SSP Yougal Manhas and other officers of District and Sub-Divisional Administration and police accompanied the delegation and briefed about the losses due to ceasefire violation, evacuation and rescue measures, rehabilitation, issues and demands. A detailed presentation was made by the Deputy Commissioner. The delegation assessed losses in various villages and held a detailed interaction with public at worst affected Jhangar village. MLA Nowshera Ravinder Raina and MLC Surinder Choudhary along with local public deputations briefed the visiting team about the problems faced by public and their demands. The People projected various demands including relief on pattern of natural calamities, crop compensation, special development package, reservation for youth in employment and education, allotment of plots, construction of more bunkers and provision of other essential facilities. Later, the Special Secretary MHA along with the team of senior officers inspected the recently constructed individual bunkers in Villages Langar and Dnaka. They highly appreciated the type-design, quality of construction and convergence model with community involvement. The locals also sought individual bunker for each family in villages along LoC. At Village Langar, the local residents met the delegation and handed over a memorandum of demands seeking enhancement in compensation in case of loss of life or livestock and injury as well as damage to houses. The visiting team also inspected two damaged schools wherefrom students were evacuated in July 2017. It also visited forward areas to assess the threat perception and prevailing situation along LoC for a better understanding of problems faced by people. SDM Nowshera Abdul Sattar, Addl SP Master Popsy, DIO Shafait Ahmed, Tehsildar Naresh Kumar, SDPO Khaliq Choudhary and other officers conducted the field visit for the delegation. Later the team also visited Poonch and interacted with the border inhabitants & sought feedback from district administration. The local legislators, MLA Haveli , Shah Mohammed Tantray & MLC Pardeep Sharma also brought various issues of villagers in to the notice of team members. The locals demanded construction of bunkers, advance medical facilities including ambulances to tackle the situation during cross border firing. They also demanded repair of border roads, other necessary infrastructure and compensation for losses caused due to frequent ceasefire violations. The team listened patiently and assured that all issues will be taken with Union Home Ministry for appropriate and early action. DC Tariq Ahamad Zargar, SSP Rajiv Panday, ADDC A.H., ADC & ACR were also present on the occasion (KNO)