Daal mein kuch kaala hai! LG Manoj Sinha questions Poonch administration over illegal constructions, encroachments

Daal mein kuch kaala hai! LG Manoj Sinha questions Poonch administration over illegal constructions, encroachments

POONCH TODAY NEWS

POONCH: Thousands of kanals of state/Kahcharai lands and buildings are still under illegal occupation but the Poonch administration has failed to retrieve them, according to an official meeting between LG Manoj Sinha and Poonch administration officers, during which the LG expressed his dissatisfaction with the Poonch administration for failing to take action against encroachments at various places. Highly placed sources told “POONCH TODAY” that LG has sought a detailed report from the Poonch administration over illegal constructions and encroachments of state/Kahcharai lands and buildings. It is pertinent to mention here that the issue of illegal encroachments and constructions at various places remained in the media for years, but some officers of the Poonch administration never took action against them, because of the reportedly hand in glove influence of a few revenue and administrative officers with those who are involved in such illegal acts. The horrible 2014 flood and the massive devastation caused by it are still in the minds of the people, but over the years, massive illegal constructions have taken place in the said areas. Even water bodies, culverts, and irrigation canals were encroached upon, but the administration never took action against the wrong doers. Due to massive illegal constructions, the existence of Poonch town is in grave danger. If a big flood comes in the future, a big chunk of Poonch town will be washed away, said a 95-year-old man, pleading anonymity. Locals have appealed to LGs’ administration to announce an inquiry commission to identify those officers and revenue officials who have played a wrong role over the years in allowing illegal construction, encroachment of state/Kahcharai lands, encroachment of forest lands. A few months back, DC Poonch also asked revenue officials to show their monthly performance related to retrieval of state/kahcharai lands, encroachments, and illegal construction, but even after a lapse of more than one year, nobody knows what has happened to that order of DC Poonch. Have the revenue officials ignored the direction of DC Poonch? If this is the case, then strong action needs to be taken against those revenue officials who disobeyed DC Poonch orders, because it seems that “Daal mein kuch kaala hai”. Only a high-level inquiry, if initiated, can bring facts into the public domain.