Challenges
of the district : Our research with local communities
Kishtwar is a militancy hit area. They live in utmost
poverty.
Women literacy rate is very low.
Women are not empowered.
Due to militancy many children are facing hardships. They are unable
to go to schools.
Government has designed many schemes but they are not properly implemented.
And the government does not involve any NGOs in implementing their
schemes. This hampers the development of the district.
Brief About Kishtwar District
Kishtwar District is a newly formed district of the state
of Jammu and Kashmir of India.
Administration
Kishtwar district consists of 8 blocks: Kishtwar, Inderwal, Paddar,
Marwah, Warwan, Dachan, Nagsani and Drubshall. Each block consists
of a number of panchayats.
Politics
Kishtwar District has 2 assembly constituencies: Inderwal and
Kishtwar
History
Kishtwar district in the state of Jammu & Kashmir is positioned
at an altitude of 5374 feet. The positional coordinates of Kishtwar
district includes a longitude of 75.7667 and a latitude of 33.3167.
Jammu, Udhampur, Srinagar and Awantipur are the locations from
one can avail of the air services to reach the district of Kishtwar.
The key economic activity of Kishtwar district in Jammu &
Kashmir is agriculture. The crops are sold in the local markets
by the farmers to earn their day-to-day living. Sheep rearing
is another major occupation of the population of Kishtwar. The
general characteristics traits of the people of Kishtwar comprises
of their simplicity and a very hardworking nature. Since Kishtwar
is set on considerably high altitude so the common climate of
the place variates in the lowest levels of temperature scale.
The handicraft items made by the local people of Kishtwar have
a huge demand among those tourists who come to this quaint yet
appealing place of Jammu & Kashmir. The natural surrounding
of Kishtwar is adorned by majestic mountainous ranges and foliages
that collectively makes it a perfect tourist spot of the state
of Jammu & Kashmir.
The festivals of Kishtwar primarily reflects the folk traditions
of the place. Apart from its own natural splendors, Kishtwar also
flaunts many adjacent tour destinations. The names of Kutal, Dul,
Keshwan, Mughal Maidan and Kwar are very popular and inevitably
comes in the itinerary of tourists.
Kishtwar, with its steady economic state and cultural richness,
is consistently proceeding towards becoming one of the prominent
Jammu & Kashmir districts.
Pursuant to Government order referred to in Chapter I Kishtwar
has beendeclared as one of the new Districts, while Atholi (Paddar)
which falls in Kishtwar Sub-Division has been declared as new
Tehsil. It may be pertinent to mention that vide Govt.Order No.
Rev(5)203 of 2005, dated 09-08-2005 three new Tehsils namely Chhatroo,Marwah
and Paddar were created, and in fact these three Tehsils have
started functioningindependently after territorial Tehsildars
were posted there. But, vide recent Govt. Orderthe Committee has
been asked to demarcate boundaries among others in respect of
TehsilAtholi (Paddar) as well. Thus, the new District Kishtwar
would comprise four Tehsilsincluding Kishtwar and the Committee
is to demarcate boundaries of the new DistrictKishtwar and Tehsil
Atholi (Paddar).
Kishtwar Sub-Division is bounded by Zanskar on the North, HimachalPardesh
on the East, Doda and Bhaderwah on the South, Kishtwar and Banihal
on theWest.
Kishtwar in the past used to be an independent hill principality
and wasmerged with the State of Jammu and Kashmir in1821, A.D.
With the passage of timeKishtwar became a Tehsil of District Udhampur
and remained its part till 1948, when itbecame part of newly created
District Doda in the wake of first re-organization of thestate
during the post-independence period.
Kishtwar branches off in Marwa-Wadwan valley, Paddar valley, Chhatroovalley
and is flanked by lofty Himalayas from all sides. The monsoon
hardly reaches thispart of the State which makes it a drought
prone area and insufficient in food grains inparticular the Marwah-Wardwan
area which remains cut off for 5-6 months in a year dueto snowfall
in winter. In order to avoid any starvation death sufficient stocks
of food grains and other essential commodities are stored well
in advance in these areas so thatthe public may not suffer on
this account.
Kishtwar is having lot of potential for generation of Hydro Electric
Power.One of the major power projects is Dul-Hasti which is at
the commissioning stage. Withthe commissioning of this project
the economy of the area is sure to boost up and thepace of development
of Kishtwar is sure to accelerate in the coming days. The areapopularly
known as ‘Land of Sapphire and Saffron’ is also very
rich in forest products.The richest forests in Jammu and Kashmir
are found on the high mountains and hills of Kishtwar.
Kishtwar is linked with other parts of the state by an all weather
road,National Highway 1-B, which remains open throughout the year.
Kishtwar is alsoconnected with Kashmir Valley by Chhatroo-Synthan
road, which is being upgraded intoNational Highway. With the up
gradation of this road it will become an alternate route forthe
tourists visiting Kashmir Valley.
For purposes of ascertaining views of the District Administration
andpeople’s representatives in respect of fixing geographical
boundaries of new DistrictKishtwar, the Demarcation Committee
visited various areas of the Sub-Division. A largenumber of representations
were presented to the committee, besides verbal suggestionsmade
by the sitting and Ex-MLAs/MLCs who met the Committee, during
its visit toKishtwar and Doda. Although there were some demands
for additions/deletions of certainareas in the existing boundaries
of the Sub-Division (now District) Kishtwar, yet on thewhole the
consensus opinion was that existing boundaries of Kishtwar Sub-Division
bemade boundaries of new District Kishtwar, but for a forceful
demand projected by thepeople of Bunjwa for exclusion of their
area from Tehsil Kishtwar and its inclusion inTehsil Thathri keeping
in view the geographical location and connectivity of the area.
Nodoubt, there were some dissenting views also, but the Committee
during its visit hadobserved that in view of the following considerations,
there is a strong case for exclusionof Patwar Halqa Patnazi comprising
five villages namely Patnazi, Kither, Binoon, Nali and Jirwar
with a population of 6715 souls, and Patwar Halqa Jawalapur consisting
of sixvillages namely Jawalapur, Kewa, Mori, Balagran, Chamoti
and Tipri with a populationof 7257 from Kishtwar and their inclusion
in Tehsil Thathri:-i.The public of the Bunjwa area is not directly
connected even with a fairweather road and people have to travel
on foot to reach Thathri-Gandohroad at a point known as Donadi.
As such, in order to reach Kishtwar,Doda or Badherwah they have
to first reach Thathri and then take avehicle for onward journey
to any of these places.ii.While Tehsil headquarter Thathri is
located at a distance of 9 kms fromDonadi, Kishtwar and Doda are
around 40 to 45 kms away.iii.Although these villages presently
form part of Tehsil Kishtwar but forpurposes of community development
these villages are already part ofC.D. Block Thathri.iv.The District
Development Commissioner, Doda has also stronglyrecommended merger
of Bunjwa area with Thathri Tehsil keeping in viewthe administrative
convenience, majority public demand, proximity of thearea with
Tehsil headquarter Thathri.
Thus, the new District Kishtwar would comprise four Tehsils namelyKishtwar
(except two Patwar Halqas namely Patnazi and Jawalapur), with
sixteenPatwar Halqas having seventy three villages, Tehsil Marwah
with eleven Patwar Halqashaving twenty seven villages, Tehsil
Chhatroo with seven Patwar Halqas having thirteenvillages and
new Tehsil Atholi (Paddar) with five Patwar Halqas having thirty
twovillages. With this the total number of Patwar Halqas and villages
in the new Districtcomes to thirty nine & one hundred forty
five respectively.
Paddar Valley is the fartherest corner of District Kishtwar on
south-easternside touching its borders with Himachal Pradesh,
Zanskar Valley of Ladakh and Marwah-Wadwan Valley. Paddar is known
for sapphire deposits and other forest products likeZeera and
Guchhi. Although vast areas of the Valley are under forest cover
yet fewvillages are also known for producing green/dry vegetables/pulses
such as Peas andRajmash. Paddar Valley comprises five Patwar Halqas
and thirty two villages.
