Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], August 25 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday announced that one eligible member from each of the 121 families in the state who lost a relative in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots will be provided a government job on a priority basis.

Making the announcement during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister reiterated the state government's commitment to ensuring justice and support for the affected families.

'...58 people were injured and 121 people (of Haryana) were killed in 1984 anti-Sikh riots...We have decided that one of the present members of all such families, who lost their members (in the riots), will be given appropriate jobs in the Haryana Government on priority, with their consent...' CM Saini said in the Assembly.

The Chief Minister informed the House that during the 1984 riots in Haryana, approximately 20 Gurudwaras, 221 houses, 154 shops, 57 factories, three railway coaches, and 85 vehicles were set ablaze. A total of 58 people were injured, and 121 lost their lives.

He appealed to the affected families to submit the name of one eligible family member, with mutual consent, through the Deputy Commissioner of their respective districts, to the Haryana Chief Secretary. He added that instructions in this regard will be issued shortly.

Earlier in the day, CM Nayab Singh Saini also criticised the opposition government in Delhi for failing to take meaningful action to clean and rejuvenate the Yamuna River. He said that despite repeated claims and announcements, no visible improvement was made on the ground during their tenure, leaving the river in a severely deteriorated state.

The Chief Minister made these remarks while responding to a question during the Question Hour in the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. He pointed out that the issue of Yamuna pollution has long been ignored, but the current government is working with determination to restore the river's health.

Saini informed the Assembly that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally taken cognisance of the matter. Acting on the Prime Minister's instructions, a high-level meeting was recently convened in Delhi. CM Nayab Singh Saini, the Delhi Chief Minister, and the Union Minister for Water Resources attended the meeting. During this meeting, a joint committee was constituted to oversee the Yamuna cleanup drive and coordinate efforts between different states and agencies.

The Chief Minister shared details of the progress made under this initiative, revealing that nearly 16,000 metric tonnes of waste have been removed from the Yamuna in the past four months. He said this large-scale cleanup marks a significant beginning in the long-term mission to rejuvenate the river. (ANI)