India sets up group to study problems facing residents along Kashmir LoC

India's federal government has set up a study group to examine the problems being faced by people living near International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region in wake of constant skirmishes on the frontier, officials said Saturday.

A senior level official in India's home ministry Rina Mitra will head the group.

"The group will meet people living in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir (Indian-controlled Kashmir), security forces deployed there, district administration officials and local public representatives to hold deliberations," an official said.

The troops of India and Pakistan posted along IB and LoC in the disputed Kashmir region constantly indulge in cease-fire violations and deadly skirmishes.

"An order issued by the home ministry said, the study group will look into broadly three issues - demand for land for relocation in case of shelling, construction of more bunkers and compensation issues related to shelling," India's state run broadcaster All India Radio said.

The group according to officials would prepare a detailed report on the issues being faced by the people living near the frontier and is likely to submit it to the federal government within two months.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply.

LoC is a de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir region into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)