The Uttar Pradesh government Monday told the Supreme Court that allout relief measures have been undertaken in the communal violence-affected areas in western parts of the state as the central government said the clashes left 44 dead, 97 injured and thousands stranded in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts.
"...extensive, comprehensive and effective relief and rehabilitation measures have been undertaken in the violence affected areas by the state government, under the overall supervision of the state Chief Secretary," the Uttar Pradesh government said in its compliance affidavit to a bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.
The central government also said that there were 26,909 people stranded in Muzaffarnagar and 14,920 in Shamli district. It said that 2,462 people have been arrested.
Both the central and the Uttar Pradesh governments filed their compliance affidavits in response to the apex court's Sep 12 order directing them "to take immediate steps and take charge of all persons, who are stranded without food and water, and set up relief camps providing all required assistance".
The court also directed the central and state governments "to ensure that all stranded are taken to places of safety and are given minimum amenities of food and water and to make adequate arrangements for their stay, till rehabilitation and restoration takes place in their respective places", including medical treatment of wounded and the needy.
The commissioner, Saharanpur Division, has been designated the nodal officer for providing relief and rehabilitation, the compliance report said, adding that the next of kin of the dead have been disbursed ex-gratia relief of Rs.10 lakh and those with injuries given Rs.50,000.
The state government also gave the lists of the dead and the injured to the apex court.
The Uttar Pradesh government told the court that it has issued directions to the district magistrates of all districts in Saharanpur and Meerut divisions, to evaluate the damage to movable and immovable property, including houses and places of worship, and also to work out an estimate for reconstruction of these.
The compliance report by the state government said that "since the outbreak of communal violence in the affected areas, the state government has issued several government orders providing necessary guidelines and facilitation, in order that district officials may provide speedy and effective relief measures, as also monetary assistance to those affected, while fostering communal harmony among the people".
The court directed the matter be listed for further hearing Sep 19.
