Gund (Sonamarg), Dec 29: The inhabitants of Gund and its adjoining villages in Kangan Tehsil have demanded Block status for the area. 
 “This has been a long pending demand of the people and various ministers including the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had assured of fulfilling it,” the residents told Greater Kashmir.
 The inhabitants of the area under the banner of Public Welfare Committee Gund have decided to launch a campaign for its development and have also decided to make every possible effort to get Block status for Gund.
 “The distance between Block Ganderbal, Lar and Wakura is just 10 kilometers from each other and there is only one Block Development Office at Kangan which is total injustice with the people. The residents of our area have to travel 48 kilometers from Sarbal to reach Kangan and 20 kilometers from Gund to Kangan for any work at different offices at Kangan. We demand that Gund being centre place between Sonamarg to Kangan be given Block status,” Gund Public Welfare Committee chairman, Haji S M Yousuf told Greater Kashmir.
 “We made this genuine demand before every politician, top administrative officials. Even Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah assured us that the demand would be fulfilled immediately, but nothing practical has been done so far and we have been ignored on the development front,” Intizamiya Committee Jamia Masjid Gund chairman, G M Pandit told Greater Kashmir.
 “Gund has a Geographical and Historical importance and is one of the old Township of Ganderbal District. It is the base camp for Ladakh, Kargil and Zanskar going passengers besides of Amarnath yatris, who annually visit the Amarnath Shrine through Baltal route. Majority of the residents of the area work as labourers as not a single industrial unit is functioning here. The graph of education and employment is very low and giving Block status to Gund can bring a huge change in its status,” Ghulam Muhammad Raina and Haji Ghulam Qadir Sarpanchs of Gund A & B told Greater Kashmir.
 Repeated attempts to contact the Minister for Rural Development, Ali Muhammad Sagar proved unsuccessful. 
Compiled by Sheikh Nazir

Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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