Poonch municipality fails to take action against encroachment of market space, lanes and drains at various places; Poonch city has become a garbage dumping site

Poonch municipality fails to take action against encroachment of market space, lanes and drains at various places; Poonch city has become a garbage dumping site

POONCH TODAY NEWS

POONCH: Thousands of people suffer daily in various parts of the Poonch market, right from the parade to the main bazaar and then to the bus stand through Poonch Fort Market, as shopkeepers are seen openly encroaching on market space, lanes and drains. 

In front of Poonch Fort and on the main highway near the fort, a number of rehris walas are seen on the main road, causing huge inconvenience to the traffic.  Moreover, illegally constructed shops in front of Poonch Fort have openly encroached on drains, but it’s shocking that no action has yet been taken by the municipality and Tehsildar Haveli against them.  Who allowed the illegal construction of shops within 100 and 200 metres of the Poonch fort as per the Ancient Monument and Preservation Act? It clearly shows that all the tainted officials of Poonch municipality were involved and are still hand in glove with the encroachers. Although municipality officials were seen taking action once in a blue moon, it is the common man who suffers a lot due to this burning problem. Although there are some self-styled beopar mandal bodies, in the absence of a duly elected beopar mandal, this menace of illegal encroachment of the market, lanes, drains and highway has become a big nuisance in the city of Poonch, from which everybody is suffering.  In addition to encroaching space, a rush of three- and four-wheelers in the market added fuel to the fire as locals alleged that the municipality and police are not doing anything concrete on a regular basis to finish this unhealthy practice. Although this illegal act of market encroachment has already caused huge inconvenience to the people, now another menace has started, and that is the illegal parking of rehris on the highways. The Nakhanwali Chowk-Poonch Fort Highway remains ever busy, and it is difficult for the common man to pass through due to the heavy, mismanaged rush of vehicles. Now another menace of illegal parking of vehicles and rehris has started on this very busy road. An impression has been generated in the town that municipality officials are nowhere, and this has raised a big question mark in the Poonch municipality. S. Manjot Singh, while passing through Poonch Fort, said, “The city has become a garbage dumping site, and the shocking thing is that the administration is still in deep slumber. Where is the municipality? It seems we are being ruled by inefficient officers who seem to be overlooking the things on the ground.” Poonch police officials are also seen visiting the market once in a blue moon to direct the shopkeepers not to capture the space, but once they are gone, shopkeepers are restored to their regular practice of encroachment again. The same is the case with municipal officials. Pankaj Sharma, a businessman, said, “Every officer is passing his time. Who cares about the public? Look, shopkeepers have now encroached on lanes and drains openly. Due to a lack of planning on the part of the administration, our once beautiful city has become an epicentre of garbage. Every area of the city is encroached on in one way or another.” Locals have demanded the attention of the administration on the matter and also sought routine anti-encroachment drives to finish this menace and give people a sigh of relief.