Residents oppose the merger, claim it would inconvenience the public, and call for a reversal of the decree.
Kupwara, Dec. 5: The Roads and Buildings department requested back control of its building; thus, the villagers and PRIs staged a protest on Tuesday against the directive of the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) to combine the Langate Branch with the sub-office Kupwara.
The building owner locked out the R&B officer due to unpaid rent, which prompted the order. The R&B authorities then attempted to reclaim ownership of the premises that JKBOSE was occupying.
In the meantime, residents demanding that the decision be repealed for the public good were led by DDC Chairman Kupwara and BDC Chairman Langate.
According to an R&B official, the office that JKBOSE is using is owned by R&B, but board officials were granted it. “The building where we are operating has been locked by the landlord, so we now want possession back.”
He said that they have addressed a letter to the higher-ups asking for prompt redress in this respect.
Remarkably, in order to resolve the matter, the authorities ordered the merging of the branch office in Langate with the sub-office in Kupwara. Locals, however, complained about the change, claiming that it would be inconvenient for everyone.
DDC Chairperson Kupwara Irfan Panditpuri said that he talked with DC Kupwara and education authorities, who promised that the issue would be rectified as soon as possible.
