Prof. Saifuddin Soz President Pradesh Congress Committee has visited 38 families in the Boat Men’s Colony who have taken shelter in a hospital building which is under construction near Haj House, Srinagar. He distributed some relief. He was accompanied by Gulam Nabi Mong MLC, Vice President, Farooq Andrabi General Secretary, Master Mohd Maqbool Working President Budgam and Dr. Syed Ahmad.According to a statement issued to KNS, Prof. Soz told these flood affected families that he had taken up their problem with the State Administration and raised the question as to why these Boat Men were not rehabilitated when Boat Men’s Colony was constructed more than thirty year ago. Prof. Soz raised the question with the State Administration as to, where will these people go as they have no land to raise their dwellings. Prof. Soz said that it is so tragic that these affected families being State Subjects have nowhere to go as they had never been settled and now that they have taken refuge in a Govt building under Construction. The Administration must think of their rehabilitation before the Winter sets in.
In the meantime Prof. Soz told these families that he (Prof. Soz) had taken up this matter with the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar and Srinagar Development Authority for their settlement. Prof. Soz assured these families that he (Prof. Soz) would join their struggle for permanent settlement and he would ensure awareness among the Members of Civil Society, so that it is widely realized that these families (poorest of the poor) can not be left high and dry and face severest hardships for rest of their lives. (KNS)