Important Cases: 1. NHRC recommends post-quake measures to Centre and J&K Governments
The NHRC has made a series of recommendations to the Home Ministry, Government of India and the Jammu and Kashmir government on post-quake measures. The recommendations are based on a report by its three-member team, which had toured the quake-affected areas of the J&K including Tangdhar and Uri. Parts of J&K had been devastated following an earthquake on the morning of 8 October 2005.
Some of the key recommendations made by the NHRC to the Governments at the Centre and the State of J&K are -
· Ensure equitable distribution of relief in kind.
· Consider having centralized collection and distribution centres at various places in the affected areas where relief material could be received from NGOs, civil society and other private agencies.
· Take steps to ensure that building material required for repairing damaged property or restoring destroyed property is available at the affected places.
· Where tents are not available, temporary shelter with all essential amenities be provided to the local population.
· Consider feasibility of constructing houses in the affected areas with pre-fabricated building material.
· Prepare computerized list of orphaned children, widows and young girls.
· Prepare computerized list of dead and missing persons to enable relief to next of kin.
The NHRC Team consisting Dr. G.S. Rajagopal, DG (I), Shri Ajit Bharihoke, Registrar (Law) and Shri A.K. Parashar, Dy. Registrar (Law) had visited Kashmir valley between 11 and 13 October 2005. It held meetings with the Chief Secretary, the DGP, Additional DGP (HR) and other State officials besides the Corps Commander, the officials of the Central Government and some members of the civil society, including a sitting MLA and a former MLC. Apart from meeting officials of the Central agencies, security forces and the civil society, the team visited the areas of Tangdhar and Uri for on the spot assessment of relief and rehabilitation measures.
The team on its return apprised the Commission of the situation prevalent in the areas of Tangdhar and Uri in particular and in the valley in general. The team found that the Central Government and the State Government as also the security forces and civil society did rise to the occasion to provide some 'immediate relief' to the affected persons. In its assessment, the task of rehabilitation is a daunting one and more particularly, at this time of the year when the areas of Tangdhar and Uri are likely to be affected by the winter which is already setting in. Thus, immediate attention to the provision of shelter by the authorities is imperative. The team learned from the Civil Society as well as the authorities that some children had been apparently rendered orphans. According to the assessment made by the team the possibility of parents of some such children being still alive could not be ruled out as some injured persons had been shifted for treatment elsewhere.
Some of the key recommendations made by the NHRC to the Governments at the Centre and the State of J&K are -
· Ensure equitable distribution of relief in kind.
· Consider having centralized collection and distribution centres at various places in the affected areas where relief material could be received from NGOs, civil society and other private agencies.
· Take steps to ensure that building material required for repairing damaged property or restoring destroyed property is available at the affected places.
· Where tents are not available, temporary shelter with all essential amenities be provided to the local population.
· Consider feasibility of constructing houses in the affected areas with pre-fabricated building material.
· Prepare computerized list of orphaned children, widows and young girls.
· Prepare computerized list of dead and missing persons to enable relief to next of kin.
The NHRC Team consisting Dr. G.S. Rajagopal, DG (I), Shri Ajit Bharihoke, Registrar (Law) and Shri A.K. Parashar, Dy. Registrar (Law) had visited Kashmir valley between 11 and 13 October 2005. It held meetings with the Chief Secretary, the DGP, Additional DGP (HR) and other State officials besides the Corps Commander, the officials of the Central Government and some members of the civil society, including a sitting MLA and a former MLC. Apart from meeting officials of the Central agencies, security forces and the civil society, the team visited the areas of Tangdhar and Uri for on the spot assessment of relief and rehabilitation measures.
The team on its return apprised the Commission of the situation prevalent in the areas of Tangdhar and Uri in particular and in the valley in general. The team found that the Central Government and the State Government as also the security forces and civil society did rise to the occasion to provide some 'immediate relief' to the affected persons. In its assessment, the task of rehabilitation is a daunting one and more particularly, at this time of the year when the areas of Tangdhar and Uri are likely to be affected by the winter which is already setting in. Thus, immediate attention to the provision of shelter by the authorities is imperative. The team learned from the Civil Society as well as the authorities that some children had been apparently rendered orphans. According to the assessment made by the team the possibility of parents of some such children being still alive could not be ruled out as some injured persons had been shifted for treatment elsewhere.