UNDERSTANDING SHORT DISTANCE DISPLACEMENT AND REHABILITATION:

Projects, macro or micro, entailing displacement have come to be seen as landmarks of development in dominant global thinking order. Vast sea of literature exists on the economic, ecological and socio-cultural effect of mega projects referring to long distance and large-scale displacement. This paper, based on empirical study, examines the nature and impact of short distance and small scale displacement on account of state intervention in 1988 mainly of commercial establishments from the periphery of the Golden temple- sanctum sanctorum of Sikhs -during the heydays of terrorism in Punjab. It also investigates the adequacy of rehabilitation approach adopted by the government for the displaced in starting their life all over again. The identification of successful initiatives in post-displacement recovery and to make a case for expansion of debate on displacement and rehabilitation beyond mega projects to incorporate micro-projects entailing short distance and small scale displacement is also one the main focus of examination and analysis of this paper.