J-K interlocutor visits militancy-affected families at Talwara

The Centre's special envoy on Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, today met the migrant families living at Talwara camp in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir who appraised him about their problems and demands.
Over 2,200 migrant families are living at Talwara camp since 1996 when they were forced to flee their homes in Udhampur, Reasi, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu region at the height of militancy.
Sharma, who visited Srinagar and Jammu earlier this month, met Kashmiri pandits at Jagti township yesterday and would be in the state for four days.
The Centre's special representative today visited Talwara camp and met militancy-affected people of Jammu region and heard their issues, officials said, adding Sharma also took stock of the amenities at the camp.

According to the residents of the Talwara camp, this was for the first time that an interlocutor visited the camp in the last two decades.
The residents said they welcome the visit of Sharma and hope that all their grievances would be addressed in a time- bound manner.
Accusing the successive central and state governments of meting out "step-motherly treatment" to them, the residents said their demands included construction of flats, better living facilities, renovation of government school building and an employment package for the jobless youth.
They demanded the same facilities being provided to Kashmiri Pandits living in different parts of Jammu.