Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : Does not figure in list of 447 backward
districts
Sex Ratio Rank : 21
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 -2006)
Disability : 554 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 361 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Brief About Kargil District
Kargil with a population of 1.25 lakhs is scattered
over an area of 14,086 Sq. Km. It is situated at a distance of
205 KM from Srinagar towards Leh. Kargil is called the land of
Agas in the present day world. It is due to the fact that Kargil
is mostly inhabited by Shia Muslims and Agas are the religious
head and preachers.
The name Kargil is derived from two words Khar and rKil. Khar
means castle and rKil means center thus a place between castles
as the place lay between many kingdoms. In the views of many critics,
the word Kargil has been derived from the words Gar and Khil.
Gar in local language mean ‘Any where’ and Khil means a central
place where people could stay. This has the support of the fact
that the place is equidistant from Srinagar, Skardo, Leh and Padum
with around 200 Kms. With the passage of time Khar rKil or Gar
Khil came to be known as Kargil. The present bureaucrat and historian
Parvez Dewan in his contribution to the book “Kargil Blunder”
reveals that a pioneer namely Kargeel cleared the forests in Poyen
and Shilikchay area before the advent of Thatha Khan to dwell
in the area and later the place assumed its name.
Gasho Tha Tha Khan is said to be the first renowned crusader
who established a dynasty in the area. Tha Tha Khan was a scion
of the royal family of Gilgit who captured Kargil in early 8th
century. His dynasty ruled the Sod area of Kargil in early period
and later permanently settled in Shakar Chiktan area where the
dynasty is till in existence. Kacho’s of Kargil are believed to
be the off-shoots of Tha Tha Khan. Purik Sulatan believed to be
a renowned builder of Kargil who established his domain in Suru
area and ruled from Karchay Khar near Sankoo. Kunchok Sherabtan
of Fokar, Kalon of Mulback and many Kachos, Sultans and Maqpons
of Sod, Pashkum, Wakha, Chiktan, Karchey ruled the area of Kargil
and expanded their principalities to be merged with the State
of Jammu and Kashmir.
In ancient time, the major part of present Kargil was named as
Purik. This name has been given by the Tibetan scholars as the
people living in this part of the land have the features of Tibetans.
Drass is inhabited by the people of the Dard race and Zanskar
has Ladakhi – Tibeto stock. The racial stocks of Kargilis are
Aryans, Dard, Tibetans and Mongoloids. Kargil is a place where
people of multi- ethnic, multi-languish, multi- cultural are living
in. The types of people are Brogpas, Baltis, Purik, Shinas and
Ladakhi. The languages spoken are Shina, Balti, Purig , Ladakhi
ec. As the Balti and Shina languages are written in Urdu script,
Urdu is common in the area.
Islam came to Kargil in 15th century. Mir Shams-ud-Din Iraqi,
a scholar of Shia school of central Asia visited Baltistan and
Kargil with his missionaries to preach Islam. The chief of Baltistan
embraced Islam first and it was later followed by the Chiefs of
Kargil. Prior to Mir Shams-ud-Din Iraqi Khawaja Noorbaksh visited
Kargil and done a lot of Islamic preaching. Thus Buddhism remained
sequeezed in Kargil to the places like Sapi, Phokar, Mulback,
Wakha Bodh-Kharboo areas a Darchik Garkon and Zanskar.
Kargil district carved out of erstwhile district Ladakh came
into existence in July 1979.It lies in the North-east Of Kashmir
Valley at a distance of 205 Kms. from Srinagar with a geographical
area of 14,036 Sq.Kms. The whole area is of high rocky mounatins
which is devoid of any natural vegetation. The population of the
district is above one lakh having density of 7 persons per Sq.Kms.
against the average of 59 persons per Sq.Kms.at State level.99%
of population is schedule tribe. The district has high altitude
area in the Country ranging from 8,000 fts.to 18,000fts.above
sea level. There are 7 rural development blocks comprising of
129 villages and 461 habitations as per 1981 Census which comprise
a number of households settled near available irrigation facilities.District
has two tehsils and on Sub-division at Zanskar.The district remains
cut off from the rest of country from November to May in view
of heavy snow fall on National Highway at Zojila pass.People mostly
live in rural areas and only 5.3 percent reside in the town. The
majority of population is Muslim.The Budhists come next with their
concerntration in Zanskar tehsil and Shargol block.A few families
of Sikhs and Hindus also live in the district.The cultivated area
in the district is 10,000 hectares as against19,437 hectares of
reporting area.The soil is generally coarse, mixed with stones
and gravels. It is alkine in reaction and organic matter content
is very low.The fertility of the soil varies from place to place
and the growing season is short.The avearge rainfall in Kargil
is 26 cms only. The district gets snowfall varying from 2ft.to
5ft.The Kargil town,Suru Valley and the villages around the Wakha
and Kanji Nallah record a snowfall upto 3ft while in Drass and
some parts of Zanskar it is 5ft.Drass is the second coldest inhabited
place in the world after Siberia in Russia.The areas of Karkitcho,Kargil
town,Hardass to Saliskot and the villages from Silmo to Garkone
get a double crop of barley, wheat,peas,bajrah and vegetables
while other areas of the district get only single crop of wheat,barley,peas
and some varieties of vegetables. The barley is the staple crop
of the district. The district presents a composite culture of
Balti, Ladakhi, Purki, Dardi,Zanskari and Shia cultures. Irrespective
of ethenic identities,all speak the Kargali language with ease.
Geography
Ladakh is a part of Jammu & Kashmir State situated
in North of India consisting of two districts Leh and Kargil.
It is a mountainous desert. This region is separated from the
rest of the State by high mountains which are crossed through
passes at various points. The lowest pass to Ladakh is Zojila
which is at 11,500'. It has an area of 4036 Sq. Km. It is situated
between 30 to 35 degree North latitude and 75 to 77 degree East
West longitude. It is surrounded by Baramullah, Srinagar and Doda
Districts in the South-West, Leh District in the East, Himachal
Pradesh in the South and Pakistan in the North-West. The District
is divided into four high level natural Valleys namely the Suru
Valley, the Drass Valley, the Indus Valley and the Upper Sindh
Valley of Kanji Nallah Valley.
Zojila and Fotulla passes situated at the height of 3567 and
4192 meters above the sea level are called gateways for Kashmir
Valley and Leh District for entry in Kargil District. High peaks
of Namikala and Penzila are called the sky pillars of the District.
The whole District is of high rocky mountains, desert arid, snow
bound and devoid of natural vegetation. It occupies unique position
because of its high altitude area in the country which ranges
from 8000 to 23000 ft. above the sea level.
The topography of the region is mountainous with little or no
vegetation. The mountains are of sedimentary rocks and are in
process of disintegration due to weathering. The terrain being
hilly, available land for agriculture is meager. The summer being
short, only one crop of local grim or wheat is grown.
The District Headquarter is situated at a distance of 205 Kms
from Srinagar and 230 Kms from Leh. Kargil district comprises
of Kargil town and 127 inhabited villages and 2 un-inhabited villages.
The normal concept of a village as a contiguous and compact habitation
does not apply in Kargil district. Here a number of house holds
have settled down here and there depending upon land availability
and irrigation facility. These clusters are spread on large distant
and in view of good number of Rivers, etc.. The area of the district
is mountainous with difficult terrain.
Climate & Soil Conditions
Ladakh lies on the rain shadow side of the Himalayan
where dry monsoon winds reaches Kargil after being robbed of its
moisture in plains and the Himalayan mountain. The district combines
the condition of both arctic and desert climate. Therefore Ladakh
is often called “ COLD DESERT”. Rainfall in the area is negligible.
Heavy snowfall is experienced in winter. The average snowfall
is about 2 to 5 mtrs. in villages. In winter mercury drops to
minus 48 degree Celsius at Drass (Kargil), which is the second
coldest inhabited place in the world after Siberia. The main features
of the climate are :-
Wide diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in temperature with -48°
C in Winter and +35° C in Summer.
Precipitation is very low with annual precipitation of 10 cm
mainly in the form of snow
Soil is thin, sandy and porous
The entire area is partly or devoid of any natural vegetation
Irrigation is mainly through channels from the glacier-melted
snow
The climate of the District is milder than that of Ladakh (Leh).
The villages situated on the banks of Indus and on the Sangham
of Suru and Drass rivers are very warm and fine. The snow falling
happens to be quite heavy and rainfall normal but it does not
help in irrigating the fields. The crops are subjected to irrigation.
In Nutshell, the winter season of the District experiences severe
cold and temperature often goes down redundantly but summer season
remains dry and little hot.
The soil of the District is sandy to loamy in nature and deficient
in organic matter and availability of phosphorus and potashes
low and mixed with stones and gravels . It is shallow in formation,
weak friable and vulnerable to all types of erosion. Fertility
of the soil varies from place to place and growing season is very
short. The average rain fall at Kargil is 26 cms only. The district
has some deposits of chromed at Drass and around it. Copper is
also found in Lungnak valley, Zanskar and Tai-Suru. Besides, deposits
like lime stone, marble and building material are also existing.
However, these mineral resources are yet to be exploited.
Approach
Kargil District is situated at a distance of 205 Kms
from Srinagar and 230 Kms from Leh. It is connected to Srinagar
and Leh through National Highway. The District remains cut off
with rest of the world during the winter season for more than
seven months. But Leh - Kargil road remains open throughout the
year.
There is an alternative means of transportation to and from the
District when the roads get blocked in winter that is Air Link
via Leh. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways are the lifeline of Ladakh
during winter. Indian Airlines operates flights from Leh to Jammu,
Srinagar, Chandigarh and Delhi. While as Jet Airways operates
flight from Leh to Delhi only.
Historical Places and Monuments
The Distt has one of the oldest civilizations. These
tribes are Dards and baltis. The baltis are said to be descendents
of Sakas a central Asian race. Dards are located in Dras.
There is a old stone statue near Dras.
General zorawar Singh while conquering the area via
Warwan Pass constructed a fort at proper Kargil.
