Sir,
The District Administration is going to establish the Bus Stand in River bed near Sher-i-Kashmir Bridge Poonch. It may be pointed out that flood waters have passed through this area in the years of 1959, 1978, 1992, 2002 and 2014. The September 2014 flood was very devastating. Entries about all these floods are recorded in the revenue records. As per history, the flood waters are sure to pass again through this area if heavy rains occur in any year in the future.
On one hand the administration shall spend huge amount of fund on establishment of bus stand and on the other hand they are putting the vehicles such as buses, trucks, tata sumos, tatamobiles and autos in danger because in case of flood all the vehicles shall get washed away in the flood waters. The poor vehicle owners who purchase their vehicles from their hard earned savings and loans from banks shall be put to heavy economic losses and shall be doomed for ever.
It may not be out of place to mention that the lands where the District Administration Poonch is proposing bus stand belongs to poor people, 90 percent of them are displaced person (Refugees) from POK who can not be dislodged as per orders of the High Court of J&K State. Such poor people cultivate their small holdings and earn their livelihood and they can not be deprived of their land for no fault of theirs. Moreover, agricultural land can not be put to any other use.
The establishment of bus stand at proposed site has many defects. As such some other safe site can be selected for the purpose. The State Government is requested to depute an outside technical team to assess the feasibility of establishment of bus stand at the proposed site.
Yours etc…..
S. Barkat Singh Azad
Retired Sr. Lecturer
Ward No. 17, Poonch
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