Once known terrorist’s land, Dehar Meadows turns playground with opening of cricket tournament

Shyam Sood
Rajouri, May 26: About twenty years ago Dehar Meadows covered by dense forests in the Poonch district was known as the land of terrorists.
On Thursday with the kick start of a one-month-long Cricket Tournament, Dehar meadows will turn a favourite place for cricket lovers and for people (tourism purposes) in the Pir Panjal region..
The Dehar Meadow is situated in a far-flung area and the Cricket Tournament was thrown open by Shafiq Mir, Block Development Council (BDC) Chairman, Bufliaz.
The organisers of the tournament are local sports-loving youth and have organised this one-month-long tournament without any government help.
As per reports about 30 teams from Poonch and Rajouri districts have so far registered themselves in this tournament & the organisers are expecting about 50 teams from various part of UT of J&K who will participate in the tournament.
“Dehar Meadow is situated in Bufliaz Block of district Poonch and it has no road connectivity, It takes about one and half hours to reach the destination on foot,” said the sources.
Shafiq Mir, Chairman Block Development Council (BDC) appreciated the local boys who took this initiative without any sort of govt help.
Mir termed this tournament a great change in the area and minds of the youth and said: “This area had been a safe heaven for militants in the past and organizing such a big event at this place that too without any govt help was a great achievement of the local boys”.
Mir has appealed to the government to see this event and compare it with those events organized by the government agencies at the expense of crores of rupees.
Mir has appealed to the government to encourage these boys and to develop this area with the required facilities because plays have no staying facility in this area.