Massive encroachments! Questionable silence of Poonch administration on encroachments shows its ineffectiveness on the ground
POONCH TODAY NEWS
POONCH: For years, no strong policies were made by the Poonch administration as far as the beautification of Poonch city was concerned. As a result, the unfortunate practice of illegal encroachments of roads and markets, in addition to the construction of illegal structures at different places, became a regular practice, and still this is going on rapidly without any action from the administration.
A few days ago, a demolition drive was carried out near Bhainch against an illegal structure, but the question arises why the administration didn’t act on other illegal structures in the heart of Poonch city. The pick-and-choose attitude of the administration against illegal constructions has raised a big question mark on the intentions of the administration. Near the “Red Zone,” not a single drive was launched where irrigation canals, embankments, and other state lands have been encroached upon openly, but only a single family was targeted by the administration, who tried to build a tin shed there. Near Poonch Fort, shops of poor and innocent people were bulldozed in the name of renovation of Poonch Fort, but influential people were not touched who have encroached on a huge chunk of land of Poonch Fort and the main road. The questionable mindset of the Poonch administration shows that the law is for the common man and not for influentially sound people. “POONCH TODAY” published time and again that there is a huge encroachment of market space, main roads, and illegal parking in different areas of Poonch city, but the Deputy Commissioner’s office has not moved an inch in taking action against encroachers and illegal parking in different places. Just a day before the Chief Minister’s visit, DC Poonch was seen visiting different areas of Poonch city to take stock of the situation on the ground, but after the chief minister left Poonch district, the entire administration has again come into sleep mode. It’s the common man who is suffering a lot from these illegal encroachments in different places in Poonch city, but who cares, as the administration only believes in passing its time by showing the cat as a lion (developmental works) through press releases. As there is no elected Beopar Mandal in the Poonch city and there are four to five self-styled Beopar Mandal bodies that have no public mandate behind them, they are seen giving wrong feedback to the administration to secure their personal interest. In the absence of a full-fledged Beopar Mandal body, the business community has been suffering a lot, as nobody is ready to highlight the demands of shopkeepers. In the absence of an elected body, the Poonch market and other areas, including the Parade area, Poonch hospital area, main market, Poonch fort market, degree college market area, S.K. bridge area, and other areas, have been encroached upon badly, but the step motherly treatment of the Poonch administration shows that the officers love to pass their time due to their various inefficiencies on the ground rather than addressing the genuine public issues. It is high time for the J&K government to intervene and direct the concerned officers to act swiftly by formulating a high-level plan to address all the genuine concerns of the people of Poonch city, including action against illegal encroachments, illegal constructions, and illegal parking at different places in Poonch city.