Poonch/Jammu, Mar 16 (PTI) After years of wait, the miniscule Christian community in border district of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch were a relieved lot as their long standing demand for a graveyard saw construction work started on it.
The Christian graveyard spread over an area of eight kanals, or around 500 sqm, at Purani Poonch area in the town was washed away in the flash floods in 2014.
“I put up the demand for restoration of the graveyard on behalf of over 3,000 Christian communities which finally yielded results with the start of its restoration work today (Thursday),” local Municipal Councillor Imtiaz Salaria told PTI.
Salaria along with president of the Christian (Catholic) community Rajesh Kumar inaugurated the renovation work, which included making the vast field clear of stones and laying of flood protection infrastructure.
“This has been a long pending demand of the Christian community and it is now being fulfilled. We have also forwarded a detailed project report for raising of boundary wall around the Cemetery and installation of a shed,” he said, expressing hope that the project will get clearance shortly.
Salaria said his primary responsibility as a public representative was to raise issues pertaining to the general public, particularly the minority community and downtrodden.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocates ‘Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas’ and we will keep working for welfare and development of all strata of society irrespective of caste, creed, and religion,” he said.
Kumar said the community faced a lot of problems after their graveyard was washed away nine years ago.
“We are happy with the start of the renovation work and hope that other works including construction of the boundary wall will get sanctioned soon,” he said.
