Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Aug 23: Water logging in bunkers constructed in border belt of Hiranagar Sector turned useless for the residents living along International Border (IB) to make themselves secure from unprovoked Pakistan firing. More than 1300 bunkers were constructed in Hiranagar Sector of Kathua district out of which some of the bunkers turn water logged due to construction deficiencies.
The water has logged in many of bunkers up to two feet due to rainfall and water leakage from walls and seepages from ground inside the bunker caused serious problems to people taking refuge there during firing from across the border. Some people have set water pumps to deplete water from bunkers. The border residents said that whenever the water is depleted from bunkers, it again gets accumulated within minutes. In such circumstances how can they take shelter inside the bunkers, they asked?.
Some border resident Nanak Chand, Mukesh Kumar and Rekha Sharma said that the bunkers are constructed for safety and security of border residents. But 50% bunkers have turned useless due to water logging, even the snakes and other inspect are also staying in these bunkers. On the one side Pakistan firing creates terror and on the other side rainfall creates havoc. In such circumstances how can we secure themselves’, they asked?.
They said the Government needs to change the design of bunkers and repair the defected bunkers immediately so that border residents can take shelter with their family members during the firing and don’t face any problem as the regular firing is going on in Hiranagar Sector. The border residents also alleged that in some bunkers sub standard material has been used and some bunkers were not constructed up to the mark. The construction agency did not bother to select the genuine location to construct the bunkers as bunkers were constructed in paddy field or water logged area.
The Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, O P Bhagat who has visited the border area to inspect the condition bunkers on ground said that all the bunkers are not water logged. Out of 1320 bunkers some of them due to rainfall are water logged. Some bunkers are constructed in water logging areas as water table is high in some of villages. The Administration is taking all steps for development of border and problem would be solved at earliest.
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