War Hero Waits for Promised Land - No Comments ?
CHANDIGARH: 1966 is a very long time ago but probably not ripe enough for Punjab government to fulfil a promise made to a veteran of the Indo-Pak war OF 1965.
Kaka Singh, 79, lost his eyes during action at Khemkaran sector. Fired up by the selfless role played by him for his country, the state jumped to announce a prize of 10 acre for the gritty soldier. Three decades on, it took a Punjab and Haryana High Court order of January 30 to direct the state to keep its word. While that may have brought a flicker of hope but Singh is yet to set foot on the promised land as the government is still to allot that plot. However, this is not the first time that a former soldier or his widow has faced hardship in getting land promised to them in the heat of the moment.
A resident of Zirakpur, Singh was a sapper with Bengal Engineers Group (BEG) Roorkee. He joined the Army on September 18, 1954, and was discharged on September 17, 1970, as a war casualty with 100% visual disability.
Recalling the fateful day when splinters from a bomb damaged his eyes, Singh said, "I was a member of the mine-laying party on Punjab border in Khemkaran sector when the blast took away my eyesight."
His struggle for the land and Rs 1 lakh promised by Punjab government started in 1966 while he was still undergoing treatment. He also gave a letter issued by the Army to DC Ropar for the allotment and ex gratia grant. "I met the DC and officer, Zila Sainik Board (ZSB) and got verbal assurances," rued Singh.
Kaka Singh, 79, lost his eyes during action at Khemkaran sector. Fired up by the selfless role played by him for his country, the state jumped to announce a prize of 10 acre for the gritty soldier. Three decades on, it took a Punjab and Haryana High Court order of January 30 to direct the state to keep its word. While that may have brought a flicker of hope but Singh is yet to set foot on the promised land as the government is still to allot that plot. However, this is not the first time that a former soldier or his widow has faced hardship in getting land promised to them in the heat of the moment.
A resident of Zirakpur, Singh was a sapper with Bengal Engineers Group (BEG) Roorkee. He joined the Army on September 18, 1954, and was discharged on September 17, 1970, as a war casualty with 100% visual disability.
Recalling the fateful day when splinters from a bomb damaged his eyes, Singh said, "I was a member of the mine-laying party on Punjab border in Khemkaran sector when the blast took away my eyesight."
His struggle for the land and Rs 1 lakh promised by Punjab government started in 1966 while he was still undergoing treatment. He also gave a letter issued by the Army to DC Ropar for the allotment and ex gratia grant. "I met the DC and officer, Zila Sainik Board (ZSB) and got verbal assurances," rued Singh.
