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| Poonch Fort in miserable condition, encroached | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 9: The Royal structure of the Poonch Fort is in miserable condition these days, and waiting for Archaeological Department to take over the charge, so that the heritage can be preserved.
The historic fort of Poonch narrates the pathetic story of tedious line, dividing not only the land but also the hearts. It tells how the line separated the people and even after six decades the people of both sides are praying if this line of hatred and enmity becomes worthless and they could meet their kiths across the LoC. But today even the fort feels helpless in expressing its own pitiable condition.
Before earth quake in 2005, it happened to be the abode of Government offices and the local people use to call it the Secretariat of District Poonch. But now there is hardly any office and not even a single office functioning earlier in the surrounding area of this fort did not bother even a bit about the health of this historical monument.
An Officer of the Archaeological Department, Jammu said, "The fort is a historical monument, but it is yet to be declared as State protected monument, we are in process of overtaking this fort under Archaeological Department and sent a notification to the district administration, few months ago. I hope the process will be completed soon.
The total area of the Fort is about 20 Kanals as per the revenue record but the area around the fort have been illegally encroached by the people for their personal benefits throwing all legalities and moral scruples into the air. The notice has been issued to the encroachers by the concerned department but the notice of expulsion of the land does not make any difference to them (encroachers).
"The Government should consider it seriously and initiate legal action against them. If it is not done at proper time, than we shall be constrained to assume that encroachers are encouraged with connivance and complicity of the concerned authorities," said a senior citizen of Poonch.
"We also received some complaints about the encroachment of some part of the fort, infact some encroachers have made an objection in handing over the fort to the Archaeological Department," said officer of Archaeological Department.
"But it is a historical monument and when the Archaeological Department will take over the charge all the encroachers will be exposed," he added.
Surprisingly, a shopping complex in the premise of the fort; a school building at its back and a Patwar Khana have been constructed by 93 INF Brigade, Department of Education and Revenue Department breaking all ethics and the norms for preservation of old and historical structures. Even some privately-owned shopping complexes also have been erected around this Fort making a negative difference to the historical and majestic appearance of Poonch Fort.
The renovation project of the historic fort has been taken up by the Poonch Development Authority. The multiphase renovation project cost approximately Rs 50 crores and out of this only 40 lakhs (i.e. 0.8 % of the total project cost) have been sanctioned and utilized in the last three years. |
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