Archeological sites neglected

Famous sites damaged by 2005 earthquake falling apart due to govt’s lax attitude towards maintenance.

MUZAFFARABAD: Famous archeological sites in Azad Kashmir damaged by devastating earthquake of 2005 are falling apart owing to the government’s lax attitude towards its maintenance and up keeping.

The Neelum Fort, one of the most popular archeological heritages of Azad Jammu Kashmir, situated along river Neelum in the capital Muzaffarabad, shows the government’s indifference towards the preservation of these buildings. The building was severely damaged in the October 2005 earthquake and is yet to be repaired.

Most of the stone and concrete walls of this five century old fort have been lying on the ground since October 2005.

The inner walls and first floor structure were razed to the ground in the first tremor of quake, the epicentre of which was not 10 kilometres away from it.

The construction of the fort started in 1549 for defense purposes in wake of rivalries between the then Kashmir ruler “Chak” family and the Mughals.

It was completed in 1646 by the founder of Muzaffarabad, Sultan Muzaffar Khan. It was used by Dogra Sikh for military purposes and was suitable for defense purposes as it has three sides that are surrounded by the Neelum River.

A protection wall was built to save the fort from the Neelum River but after the earthquake no funds were provided for its preservation and the restoration of the collapsed walls and galleries.

Twenty eight employees, including a watchman, have not been paid salaries for the last five months.

“I had been employed here as watchman nine months ago but I haven’t received my salary for over five months, how am I going to support my family?” Amjad khalil, told The Express Tribune.

The negligent attitude of the reconstruction and rehabilitation department has cast its shadow on the archeology department which looks after the remains of this historic fort.

Hundreds of people visit the site daily but families with kids are reluctant because they see the building as dangerous as it is in a fragile condition after the earthquake.

“The government must rebuild this because now it’s dangerous for families with,” Arif Mehmood Mughal, a student of the Fine Art Department of AJK University, said. “Either the government preserves this fort or hands it over to us, we will manage it,” Mughal said, pointing towards the flattened walls and balconies.

Drug addicts and youngsters come to the fort to get high and smoke. “These children have turned this place into a smoking house,” Sameer Khan, a visitor, said.

Some three kanals of land has been encroached on. Secretary Tourism and the Archeological Department Dr Shella Waqar told The Express Tribune that State Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (SERRA) has approved phase 1 for the rehabilitation of the fort but the work cannot start due to financial crunch.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2010.