Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday said that the state government was in discussion with the Rajasthan government to resolve the long pending issues of Pong Dam oustees.

“I had met Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in New Delhi on 28 February and discussed various issues pertaining to the settlement of claims of Pong Dam oustees,” Thakur said while replying to a question by independent MLA Hoshiar Singh.

He said the Rajasthan CM had assured of full support to redress the grievances of oustees.

After the construction of dam in 1960-61, around 349 villages were affected and around 75,000 acre land was submerged in the water.

“20,722 families were affected after the construction of Pong dam, out of which the claims of 12,041 families were settled,” he said, adding while 4,128 claims were rejected.

Thakur said the government is working to complete formalities related to settlement of claims and he would soon meet Rajathan CM to expedite the process.

The CM admitted that there were shortcomings and confusion on the figures of the affected families, but all these would be resolved soon.

The other problem which is coming in the way of rehabilitation of the oustees is the unwillingness of the affected families to relocate of Bikaner and Jaisalmer districts of Rajasthan where they have allotted lands.

“It has become a complex issue as some of the families seems to be not prepared mentally and socially to relocate to the neighbouring state of Rajasthan,” he said.

He said the government was also looking into the issue of reconstitution of Pong Dam Oustees Development Agency (PODA) as there were allegations of misuse of funds meant for the welfare and rehabilitation of oustees.

Since the issue pertains to 1960s, there were various shortcomings in rehabilitation and other welfare programmes for the affected population, estimated at around 1 lakh.

In addition, there has been the recommendation of Rangarajan Commission, which had called for providing distress cost of 12 per cent to the affected families.

“The government would look into issues and allegations of misuse of funds meant for oustees,” he said while asserting the government would seriously take up the issues with Rajasthan for early disposal of affected families’ grievances.