Tina Dabi, Jaisalmer collector, announces allocation of 40 bigha of land to Pakistani Hindu immigrants

Tuesday saw a land award of more than 40 bigha by the Jaisalmer district government for the rehabilitation of hundreds of Hindu migrants from Pakistan. They were given land close to Moolsagar, about 5 miles from the district office.

The migrant protests have subsided after Tina Dabi, the Jaisalmer District Collector, made her statement on Wednesday. The protests started after the Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) on May 17 as part of the anti-encroachment effort razed many makeshift homes in the Amarsagar region and expelled the migrants living there illegally.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Tina Dabi stated that although the designated land would be set aside for people still classified as Pakistani migrants, allotment would not take place until those people acquired Indian citizenship.

’40 Bighas of land in Khasra no. 72 and 73, about 5 kilometers away from the district headquarters, has been allotted for the rehabilitation of Pakistani Hindu families evicted from government land in Amarsagar,’ Dabi said.

‘The district administration would acquire a list of all Pakistani oustees residing there and their accounts at the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) will be verified first. We will also investigate the number of families living on long term visa and how many have got citizenship. Those who have citizenship will be allotted land on priority, while the others will be lined up for the applications and procedure,’ she explained.

She continued by saying that the decision was made by the committee for displaced persons, which had been established especially to find a suitable area for the rehabilitation and address other relevant issues. This group would also keep an eye on the subsequent process, she said.

Dabi further disclosed that, while the land allotment procedure is ongoing, the district administration has prepared for temporary housing for the Hindu migrants in the government-run shelter house known as ‘Ren Basera.’

She added that the accommodations will have adequate water and electrical supplies, which had been made possible by the nearby Bhil Basti, another piece of renovated property that was home to Pakistani refugees.