Frame scheme for relief to Army porters' kin on par with soldiers:SHRC to J-K govt

The Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has recommended that the state government frame a scheme for providing compensation to family members of porters who work with Army and die in the line of duty, on par with the soldiers, a spokesperson of the rights panel said.
"It is unfortunate that a person working with the Army like a solider has not been paid (compensation) by anybody," chairperson of SHRC Justice Bilal Nazki (retd) said in his order while disposing off a case.
According to the SHRC spokesperson, the order in the case came up during an on the spot hearing at Dak Bugalow in Kupwara district.

He said the commission feels that such persons (porters) should be treated on par with soldiers, and while referring to the case observed that the 25-year-old man had died while working as porter with the Army.
"The chairperson (of SHRC) directed the principal secretary of the home department to frame a scheme for such persons who do not fall within the ambit of present schemes," the spokesperson said.
"Furthermore, the deputy commissioner of Kupwara is also directed to take up the matter with the army (unit) concerned and ensure that due compensation is paid to the father of the deceased," he said.

The spokesperson said the deputy commissioner of Kupwara and the principal secretary of the home department were directed to file an action-taken report within three weeks.