The All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) has written a letter to the Chief Minister appealing for land settlement and patta (proprietary rights) to be granted to the refugees who have been settled since 1950 in Punjabi Refugee Colony, East Bengal Colony, and Sindhi Refugee Colony under Golmuri and Sitaramdera police station areas. The AISSF has emphasized the need for the long-pending issue to be addressed, ensuring security and stability for the affected communities in the Golmuri and Sitaramdera regions within the East Singhbhum district.
In the letter, the AISSF has highlighted the plight of the refugees who were displaced from their homes during the partition of India in 1947 and subsequent migrations. It emphasized that these refugees have been residing in the Punjabi Refugee Colony, East Bengal Colony, and Sindhi Refugee Colony for over seven decades without proper land settlement and proprietary rights. The absence of legal documentation and property rights has posed numerous challenges to their socio-economic well-being.
Satnam Singh Gambhir, the president of AISSF, East stated, "The refugees in Golmuri and Sitaramdera have been living in these colonies for several generations, and it is high time their rights are recognized and addressed. The lack of land settlement and patta has resulted in various issues, including the inability to access government schemes, difficulties in property ownership, and uncertainties regarding their future. We urge the Chief Minister to intervene and provide a resolution to this long-standing problem."
The AISSF has called for immediate action to be taken to survey the land occupied by the refugee colonies and subsequently provide land settlement and patta to the affected families. The federation has urged the Chief Minister to initiate the necessary processes to ensure the legal recognition and security of the refugees' rights to their residential properties.
This appeal by the AISSF reflects the collective voice of the affected communities and aims to draw the attention of the state government towards the grievances and challenges faced by these refugees. It seeks to emphasize the significance of granting land settlement and proprietary rights to enable them to lead stable lives and access essential services and benefits.
As the letter reaches the Chief Minister's office, the AISSF and the refugees in Golmuri and Sitaramdera police station areas eagerly await a positive response from the government, hoping for a resolution that will provide the much-needed relief and stability to these long-suffering communities.