CHANDIGARH: About half of over 2,500 families who have fled from separatist violence hit Kashmir valley to Punjab and Chandigarh have taken shelter in Amritsar, itself ridden by violence for last ten years.

About 1,200 families from the valley have opted to stay in Amritsar despite the fact that a number of local people have migrated elsewhere because of continued violence,

The remaining migrant families have taken shelter in other towns of Punjab, including Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Moga and Patiala. Two relief camps have been set up by the administration in Chandigarh.

There is one relief camp each in Jalandhar and Ludhiana. No other town in the state has a regular camp.

Among the migrants are employees and well off businessmen from Srinagar and other towns of the valley who have left their flourishing trades and good jobs to lead the life of refugees with no source of income.

The major chunk of the migrants left Kashmir around January 20 when militants issued warnings to members of the minority through loudspeakers in religious places. They said that the situation in Punjab and Chandigarh is much better than what is in the Kashmir valley.

A mass exodus has started from Kashmir hit by violence for more than nine months now.

A major problem being faced by the migrant families is that of schooling of the children. With the educational institutions having remained closed in the valley since November last, the parents are unable to get the school leaving certificates of their wards.

The Chandigarh administration has arranged for admission to government schools on a provisional basis.

Some of the migrants who had business worth lakhs in the valley are today virtually paupers looking towards the government for relief and rehabilitation. They are unable to withdraw their money from the banks in Kashmir which have almost remained closed since January end.

They have demanded that the government make arrangements so that they could go to Srinagar and other towns to bring their belongings.

So far none of the political parties and social organizations has come forward to lend a helping hand to the migrants in Amritsar. Nor has the district administration done anything since the state government has not chalked out any policy regarding such migrants.

Meanwhile, all the migrants are refusing to go back and have demanded relief from the government.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 11, 1990