New Delhi, 24 November 2005
The National Human Rights Commission has sought the comments of the Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir on reports that appeared in the Times of India dated 20 October 2005 and the Kashmir Times dated 24 October 2005 regarding the distribution of relief in certain villages of earthquake hit J&K. The Times of India, under the caption "Two Sikh villages still await aid" reported that even after nine days after the earthquake of 8 October 2005, no aid had reached Tarboni and "Sambalpora thereby adding to the misery of the inhabitants of those villages. The daily Kashmir Times published a report in its issue of 24 October 2005 under the caption "Mann alleges discrimination in relief distribution". According to the report Shri Simranjit Singh Mann had complained that relief for earthquake-affected people had not been distributed in a fair and proper manner and that the Sikh community had been discriminated with regard to the distribution of relief material.
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