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Don't close relief camps: Governor

By Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD June 21. The Gujarat Governor, Sunder Singh Bhandari, has informed the State Congress that he had issued instructions to the State Government not to close down the relief camps for riot victims without making alternative arrangements for them.

The Governor's response comes in the wake of a letter by the three Congress members, the State Congress president, Amarsinh Chaudhary, the leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Naresh Raval, and a member of the State Assembly, Siddarth Patel, in the All-Party Committee for Relief, saying that they would be compelled to resign from the committee if corrective measures were not taken immediately.

Pointing out that in some cases the victims had been paid a meagre amount as compensation, the members demanded a re-survey of the affected houses and industries damaged in the riots.

They said no camp should be closed down till the last of the inmates were resettled in their houses with proper compensation.

Mr. Chaudhary said they had not yet withdrawn the letter, because despite the Governor's assurance, the State officials were still moving round the relief camps forcing them to close down.

The 14-member committee was set up at the behest of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, under the chairmanship of the Governor with representatives of major political parties and prominent citizens to instil a sense of confidence among the minorities for a fair deal.

The Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, lead the BJP group in the committee, which also includes his second-in-command in the Cabinet, the Industries Minister, Suresh Mehta.

The Government on Monday ordered closure of eight relief camps in Ahmedabad, though the inmates are yet to receive any compensation to repair or reconstruct their riot-hit houses.

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