Patoli pond turned as dumping ground, public demands park

‘Remove encroachment at Chowk’

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 21: An old dry pond at Patoli Mangotrian in JMC’s Ward No. 39, falling in Jammu West has turned as a dumping ground and a place of nuisance for the residents of the locality.
Despite several representations of the residents to the Lt Governor, Mayor and even the JMC Commissioner to convert this place into a beautiful park for the purpose of publicity utility and remove illegal encroachment of some people from it, besides adjoining Chowk which has become a point of regular traffic chaos, the authorities have still remained unmoved.
Even the J&K Pollution Control authorities vide its letter No. JKPCC/LSJ/22/2523-25 dated 28-01-2022 to the Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, has asked the authorities concern to take cognizance of the matter and take all possible measures to prevent activities of illegal dumping of garbage and other construction material at the pond site and convert the place for public utility as building material is creating dust/ air pollution in the locality. But despite this no action was taken.
The local residents of JMC Ward 39 said that even the Commissioner JMC and Mayor have not taken serious note of a letter from LG Manoj Sinha’s office vide its No. LGS-1(GR)20/2035-36 dated Feb 17,2020. This public complaint had been moved to the LG’s office through a senior former bureaucrat of the area and local Corporator as well, copy of which was also forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner Jammu for removing illegal encroachment from traditional pond and widening of Patoli Mangotrian Chowk by removing illegal encroachment and bringing end to the permanent traffic jam problem at this narrow and accidental point.
The residents further sought the personal intervention JMC Commissioner, Avny Lavasa and the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langar into this urgent public issue. They said if the issue is not resolved within ten days, they will be forced to start indefinite dharna outside Raj Bhawan, as this is an old demand of the local public and the concerned agency is maintaining criminal silence on the issue.