Mohammad Sarfaraz
Early Times Report
KUPWARA, Mar 19: Scores of people from Machil area, stranded in district headquarter Kupwara owing to closure of the only link road connecting their border sector staged a protest against the authorities.
According to sources a group of people from Machil area approached the Deputy Commissioner Kupwara to apprise him about the inconveniences faced by them due to continuous closure of the Machil-Kupwara road since last two weeks.
"It seems that the authorities are not considering Machil as a part of this jurisdiction and don't want to listen to the people of the far-flung areas then "higher authorities of the government should annex Machil with Pakistan administered Kashmir so that we may not suffer anymore, said sources.
Sources said that the protesters also alleged that an educational institute namely Government High School Ring Payeen Machil was closed since the schools in the Valley reopened. The staff has been changed in recent reshuffle of the teachers and the new staff was yet to join the school as such the school is closed.
"We have brought the issue before the concerned CEO but to no avail," the protesters alleged and demanded the immediate restoration of the road so as the students and the people of the area do not suffer anymore. Meanwhile a top police official of the district said that the Machil road was intermittently closed in wake of the avalanche warnings issued by the government for the safety of people.
We have not deliberately closed the road for any interest, but for the safety of general masses, as you can understand that snow has recently accumulated on the higher reaches of the region, so once we will get clearance from the concerned authorities, the road will be opened, the official told Early Times. |
