*Sajjad Shaheen demands immediate Relocation and rehabilitation of people from the sinking Duksar village in Gool;

Demands setting up a Panel to conduct “rapid study” of occurrence of land subsidence in erstwhile District Doda*;

BANIHAL ; 20th February ; National Conference (NC) leader and district president, Ramban Mir Sajjad Shaheen has expressed serious concern over the subsidence of a major chunk of land in Duksar village in Dalwah Gool in which about two dozen houses,  including a  stretch of Gool road have been badly damaged rendering dozens of people homeless and blockade of Sangaldan- Gool road.

“Relocation of people from the affected areas should be done expeditiously and their permanent rehabilitation should be the first priority of the government”, he said adding that the  government should work on short and long-term plans to address the situation and depute teams of  disaster management along with a team of experts to the affected village to constantly monitor the situation and also make Medical treatment facilities  available on the ground. 

Shaheen further said that care should be taken to ensure that the livelihoods of people are not affected,” adding that alternate locations should be identified for permanent resettlement of the affected people. 

Shaheen said that the Land subsidence has been going on for more than a decade in erstwhile district Doda as  similar incidents of sinking of various village land has taken place earlier also in Dharam Gool, Naibasti Dharam some years back followed by Sarbagni (Ramsoo), Hirnihal (Khari),  Wagan (Banihal) and recently in Thathri, (Kishtwar) and now in Duksar (Gool)  but the problem is aggravating by each passing day. 

He said that major construction activities related to mega projects like Railway Tunnels, Widening of NHW and major hydel projects have been going on in various areas for a long time without thinking about the pressure the tows are capable of coping with, he said, adding this may also have contributed to such catastrophes. 

Shaheen has urged upon the LG lead Administration to set up a panel comprising representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Central Water Commission, Geological Survey of India, National Highway Authority of India among others 

to conduct “rapid study” and examine the cause of the occurrence of frequent land subsidence and its impact on the human settlement, buildings, highways, infrastructure and riverine system.

He has also demanded sanctioning of a package for the rehabilitation of the affected families whose houses and other properties were damaged due to sinking of land at Duksar, Sangaldhan. 

He has also demanded immediate restoration of Sangaldan- Gool road besides upgradation of Lohar Mohala Dharam to Gool road as an alternate road connectivity to Gool and other areas.

(NOTE: PRESS RELEASE PUBLISHED AS RECEIVED)