Locals now rue relocating the school to make way for a sports field

Anantnag: An abandoned school building – which has become a safe haven for drug addicts, drug peddlers, gamblers, and other anti-social elements – has been the major hindrance in the expansion of a sports field for well over a decade now, here in Aishmuqam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. This is despite the fact that the school was relocated to pave way for the expansion of the playing field.
The sports field is located in Latroo area of Aishmuqam and is the only such facility in the area, spread almost entirely over a hill. Government Middle School Latroo was operating from a building constructed over a part of this sports field.
The locals, perceiving the school building to be a hindrance to sports activities and the expansion of the field, approached authorities for the relocation of the school in the year 2010.
“It was finally in 2012 that the district administration ordered the relocation of the school to another nearby building, with the aim to expand this only playing field for the sports enthusiasts of Aishmuqam area,” a resident, who has been following the whole process, told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the school was relocated soon after but since then the building has just stood and become an eyesore to the people of the area. “The purpose of expanding the sports field has not been fulfilled and we have been encountering another problem, a far bigger menace,” he said, lamenting that the building has become a safe haven for drug addicts, drug suppliers, and gamblers.
“Throughout the day and in the evenings, drug addicts keep roaming the place. The building has become a nuisance,” locals said.
They said that they are now afraid to let their kids wander towards the stadium, for they are scared that their children might be unnecessarily exposed to drugs and other evil activities rampant in the school building.
“This has significantly degenerated the interest we had in upgrading this beautiful stadium. It lies in ruins now and very rarely children go and play there,” the locals lamented.
People of the area put the blame squarely on the administration, saying that their repeated requests have yielded no results whatsoever.
“They keep passing the buck. Now we rue getting the school relocated. It would have at least not become a drug hub if it was still a school. There is no school and the field is yet to be expanded,” the locals said.
Kashmir Reader talked to Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pahalgam, Nisar Ahmad, who said that the building was government property and belonged to the education department.
“I will have to look into the matter and talk to the authorities concerned first,” he said.
Sources in the education department maintained that the building has been handed over to the revenue department long back. Kashmir Reader tried talking to ZEO Aishmuqam, but he did not attend calls made to his mobile phone.

Suhail A Shah