Villagers oppose proposed shifting of sub post office in Mandi’s Balh

Residents of several villages in Kothi gram panchayat of Mandi district are opposing the proposed shifting of the sub post office from Gurkotha village to Leda village in the Balh Assembly constituency. They allege that the decision has been taken in haste based on incomplete and biased information.

According to local resident JC Sharma, a retired Deputy Director of the State Planning Department, a post office branch set up at Gurkotha village in around 1948 was upgraded to a sub post office in 1978. It has long worked as an important public service centre for several surrounding villages. He claims that the sub post office at present is catering to the residents of Kothi, Gurkotha, Sidh Kothi, Kehatri, Beri, Meramasit, Kawalkot and Mansai villages as well as several nearby panchayats.

Sharma alleges that the report submitted by the Department of Posts had overlooked key facts about the region’s geography, population and service requirements. He argues that Gurkotha village is centrally located and accessible to the residents of around 50 villages, many of which lie in difficult hilly terrain. The shifting of the sub post office 2.4 km away to Leda village will make access difficult, especially for women and elderly residents who depend on the facility for money deposits, withdrawals and various government welfare schemes.

Sharma also raises concern over the responses provided under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He says that their queries regarding the reasons for the proposed shifting of the sub post office and the lack of public consultation have not been adequately answered.

On March 8, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the women of Gurkotha village had held a protest over the issue and demanded the withdrawal of the proposal. They urged the authorities concerned to reconsider the decision in view of public convenience and the long-standing importance of the Gurkotha sub post office.