Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 26: State president of Kisan Sabha Hari Chand Jalmeria today sought district status for tehsil Billawar of district Kathua.
He stressed on the issue during four-day extensive tour of Billawar, Machhedi (Lohai-Malhar) and Ramkote hilly tehsils of district Kathua, during which the farmers, Sarpanchs and Panchs to which they met at various places, projected the demand of separate Billawar district.
One common issue projected by the people of all the Panchayats was the demand for creation of Billawar district. People of these hilly areas have been demanding creation of Billawar district for about two decades under the banner of Billawar Zilla Andolan.
Hari Chand Jalmeria urged upon Governor Satya Pal Malik to create Billawar district, make Lohail-Malhar tehsil functional from Mashedi headquarter and immediately improve the condition of roads.
In the meetings held at Machhedi, Kindli and Nathi, the main issues projected were poor condition of Machhedi-Kindli, Badnota-Lohai and Machhedi-Sadrota link roads and making Machhedi as tehsil headquarter in letter and spirit.
People told Jalmeria that Government had created tehsil Lohai – Malhar with headquarter at Machhedi vide SRO 445 dated October 21, 2014 but the Tehsildar of the tehsil is still functioning from Billawar and Machhedi tehsil headquarter has still not been made functional. “We made a number of representations to authorities but nothing was done to provide relief to the people residing in these remote and mountainous areas,” they added.
In the meeting held at Dalian (Lahri) people expressed great anguish over the dilipidated condition of road from Kohag upto Kurhetar/Baggan which is used by the people residing in Lahri, Nazote, Sadrota A&B, Bhatodi and Bhatwal Panchayats. Jalmeria also held meeting at Dewal, Billawar, Bathri, Kishanpur, Mandli, Thara Kalwal and Ramkot.
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