On Shivratri, 31 Pandit families get flats in Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 4 (UNI) On the eve of Maha Shivratri, the important festival of Kashmiri pandits being celebrated tomorrow, 31 families of the minority community would be given possession of residential flats in the central Kashmir district of Badgam.

Migrated from their native villages from different parts of the valley after the killing of pandits at Wandhama, Sangrampora and other areas, these families were living in a Badgam village which has been declared protected zone by the authorities.

The village was being protected by security personnel round-the clock.

The government, with full assistance of the centre, had constructed flats at Sheikhpora in Badgam, temple town of Mattan in Anantnag, Kupwara and Khirbhawani in Ganderbal district for migrant pandits.

District Development Commissioner (DDC), Badgam, Khawaja Farooq Ahmad Ranzoo handed over the keys of the flats to pandit families.

Adequate security arrangements had been made in and around the flats, constructed on about 80 kanls of land.

There are more flats vacant which will be alloted to pandits as and when they approach, official sources said adding the flats are with all facilities.

''We never wanted to migrate from our native village as we were living peacefully with our muslim brethren,'' the pandits said before stepping into their flats.

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