450 Numberdars killed during militancy in J

Srinagar, Jun 1 (UNI) At least 450 numberdars and chowkidars lost their lives during turmoil period in the Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.

They said the numberdars and chowkidars were soft target for gunmen, particularly in remote and far flung areas in the state after eruption of militancy in early 1990.

So far, 450 numberdars and chowkidars have been killed in the violence.

However, the family members of majority of deceased chowkidars and numberdars have not been provided jobs under SRO-43.

A spokesperson of the J&K Lumberdar association said there were about 10,000 numberdars and chowkidars in the state.

He said the numberdars have to collect land revenues, collect produce of the land belonging to government, report about the death of any government pensioner, marriage or remarriage of any person drawing family pension and his absence for more than a year and encroachments on command land, damage to government property and report about any extra ordinary event of public importance.

Meanwhile, a one-day convention of chowkidars and numberdars of tehsil Uri and Boniyar in Baramulla district was held at Chandanwari, Uri, about 100 km from here, yesterday.

Seeking their help to take the state to new heights of prosperity, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Taj Mohi-ud-din said it was the duty of the community now to involve themselves in the development scenario going on in the state at a fast speed, never witnessed by the people in the past 50 years.

UNI BAS MYK AE PM1400