No lesson from past: despite devastating flood in 2014 that washed away shops & hotels, influential have free hands

Under the nose of district administration in Poonch, 181 structures have been raised in Red Zone Area since March 2015 to end last financial year, copy information provided by the Tehsildar Haveli Poonch vide no TH/J/76, dated 12/04/2022 read. The Hidden News possesses the copy detail sent by the Tehsildar Haveli Poonch to Deputy Commission Poonch.

File photo

In 2014, the then Deputy Commissioner, Poonch M H Malik kept blanket ban on any kind of construction “in washed away area near Sher-e-Kashmir bridge from Police Line to confluence of Betar Nallah”. But unfortunately, the order issued by District Magistrate couldn’t see the day light, as in the connivance of administration some influential people defying the order have raised multi storied building in the Red Zone Area.

Copy of DM’s order of 2014

In the first week of September 2014 there was huge loss of life and property taken place due to flood, due past’s unregulated construction of houses, commercial and religious buildings in the river basin Suran. After flood a large number of families were rendered shelterless. Keeping in the view the disaster the area in 2014, the then Deputy Commissioner Poonch, banned all type of construction/ repair/restoration work in the washed away area on both banks of river Suran. 

DM’s order issued in 2018

However, the Deputy Commissioner further ordered that demolition of all structure constructed in front of culvert under approach road leading to the Sher-e-Kashmir Bridge. “The order shall remain in force till further order”, the then DM had ordered. However, in 2018 the then Deputy Commissioner, Rahul Yadav repeated the same order, but unfortunately, the order could not implement and after March 2015 to till date more 181 structures have been raised, but the administration seems helpless to materialise vide order no. DMP/J/3247-57, dated 31/12/2014.