A year after Pakistani forces launched heavy artillery shelling on villages along the Line of Control (LoC) following India’s strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), many affected families in north Kashmir say they are still struggling to rebuild their damaged homes due to inadequate compensation.
The shelling, which followed India’s strikes targeting terror infrastructure in response to the Pahalgam attack, caused extensive damage in several villages of Baramulla and Kupwara districts, leaving hundreds of families displaced.
Many residents whose houses were either fully or partially damaged say the financial assistance provided by the government has fallen far short of the actual rebuilding cost.
Abdul Hamid Khan, a resident of Kalgie village in Uri, said three houses belonging to him and his two sons were badly damaged in the shelling.
Following the attacks, the family was shifted to a government building in Salamabad, where they continue to live. “Each of us received Rs 1.35 lakh as compensation. What can anyone do with such a small amount?” Khan said.
He said the family’s financial condition deteriorated after the shelling, forcing them to shift their children to government schools. “We even approached the local MLA, but nothing substantial happened. We are struggling every day,” he added.
Another Uri resident, Anwar Sheikh, said he received Rs 1.30 lakh initially and later another Rs 2 lakh as compensation. “Is this enough? The total construction cost of the house is around Rs 70 to 80 lakh. I have no means to rebuild it,” Sheikh said.
He urged both the NC government and the Centre to jointly assist border residents in reconstructing their homes.
National Conference MLA from Uri, Sajjad Shafi, said the issue has repeatedly been raised with the authorities, but adequate funding was not provided by the Centre.
“Whatever the NC government could do was done. We had proposed Rs 10 lakh compensation for families whose houses were completely damaged, but nothing materialised from the Central government,” Shafi said.
He also said no new individual or community bunkers had been constructed in Uri after the shelling. “People living in border villages continue to suffer,” he said.
