Andhra willing to take only 50,000 evacuees
HYDERABAD, JULY 14 – The Union Government wants to send 200,000 families of Bangladesh refugees to Andhra Pradesh but the State Government is inclined to take only 50,000 refugees, says PTI.
The State Labor and Rehabilitation Minister, Mr. G. Sanjiva Reddy, who returned here recently from Delhi, told newsmen here yesterday that the Union Minister of Labor and Rehabilitation, Mr. Khadilkar, had stated that the Prime Minister was also of the view that Andhra Pradesh should take in at least 300,000 families of refugees.
But, Mr. Sanjiva Reddi said, “We feel we are not in a position to take in so many refugees. This will be a very big burden.”
Mr. Reddi said the State had already taken in repatriates from Burma apart from 200 Bangladesh refugees families Telugu speaking Indian repatriates from Ceylon had also started coming in. It would not be possible for the State to take a large number of Bangladesh refugees as it had to provide land also to the landless labor in the State.
Meanwhile, a New Delhi report says that 14 Central camps for refugees from Bangladesh are now ready in the States of Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and Bihar, it was officially stated here today.
The dispersal of refugees which started in these camps, in June, is now in progress. About 150,000 refugees have already been removed to these camps.
The Government of India had decided to establish 50 such camps in border States and outside to relieve the administrative burden on these States, including 20 in West Bengal, 10 in Tripura and four in Assam.
In West Bengal four of them – at Dhubulia and Cooper Camp in Nadia district and Salboni and Brindavanpur in Midnapur district – have started taking refugees.
Nearly 14,000 persons have been moved in these camps and more will be moved as soon as water supply is arranged and construction of barracks is completed. This will take four to six weeks.
In Tripura four camps – at Uptakhali Bagma, Ambassa and Manu – have been constructed. They will eventually accommodate 200,000 evacuees. Nearly 17,000 people are already there. More sites are being selected for the six remaining camps, which will accommodate another 300,000.
In Assam nearly 14,000 persons have been accommodated in the Central camps at Chansari, Bonda and Sorbhog. A camp for 50,000 persons is under construction in Bahawalpur. The four camps together will have a capacity of 120,000.
Outside border States, Mana Camp has been expanded and nearly 100,000 refugees have already been moved there. The airlifting of refugees from Calcutta is continuing. In Bilaspur three sites have been selected for Central camps at Chakarbhata, Malamalbhata and Mohanbhata.
In Bihar, a Central camp in Panchanpur (Gaya) is set up. It will accommodate 25,000 persons. Trains have started moving from July 1 and more trains have been arranged for taking refugees to the camp at Gaya.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 15.07.1971