Pampore: Director Tribal Affairs Jammu and Kashmir, Mohammad Saleem Malik visited Saffron town Pampore area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district where he identified land for construction of a hostel for Gujjar Bakerwal students.
Officials of the Revenue Department informed that the land has been identified in Patalbagh near Bal Ashram area of Pampore.
Tehsildar Pampore Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din told Kashmir Reader that the state land measures around 16 kanals identified for Gujjar and Bakerwal hostels at Patalbagh.
“The hostel for Gujar -Bakerwal hostel in Pulwama is already occupied, there were instructions from Deputy Commissioner Pulwama to identify the land so that an alternative hostel is constructed for students of the tribal community,” Director Tribal Affairs, Mohammad Saleem Malik told Kashmir Reader, adding that they are planning to construct a girls and boys hostel will be constructed.
“8 kanals of land each for girls and boys hostels have been identified,” the Director said, adding that the students coming from far flung areas will be provided best boarding and lodging facilities so that they can get the best available education to compete with other students.
The Director Tribal Affairs was accompanied by Deputy Director Tribal Affairs Dilshada Akhtar, Tehsildar Pampore Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din, General Secretary Gujjar and Bakerwal Conference Choudhary Mohammad Yaseen Poswal and other officials.
The Secretary Gujar Bakerwal Conference, Mohammad Yaseen Poswal thanked Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Dr Raghav Langer, ADC Awantipora , Zaffar Husson Shawl and Tehsildar Pampore, Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din for putting their demand before concerned authorities.
“This was one of our demands languishing for the past 30 years, we thank authorities for fulfilling this demand,” Poswal told Kashmir Reader, adding that they hope soon construction shall start on the hostel so that students for their community don’t suffer any more.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

BILAL HABIB