Wadwan; where youth are confused and are questioning themselves, whether this area is a part of Jammu and Kashmir or not?

‘16 years old Firdous told story of ignorance before he left for a 12 days tour, organized by 19RR’

Saahil Suhail

Anantnag, July 15:  Wardwan, more than 100km’s away from South Kashmir’s District Aantnag, falling under the jurisdiction of District Kishtwar connected via District Anantnag to the rest of the State is the one of the remotest area of Kashmir, where people are facing immense problems due to shortage of essential commodities, shattered roads, de-functional administrative setup, lacking basic infrastructure and teaching staff in government educational institutions etc, round the year. People in general and youth in particular are confused with ‘step-mother behavior’ of the state government to the naturally fertile and beautiful area of Kishtwar.

Firdous Ahmad Khanday, a 10^th class student, who on Friday left the valley for a 12 days tour to Kolkata for first time in his life, with a smiley face, before leaving the valley, as a student, in an interaction with this reporter he and his friends shared the geographical and educational scenario of his area and the day today problems faced by them related to the transport, health, essential commodities and especially in Education.

Firstly, talking on education Firdous said, “I am reading in class 10^th in Government Higher Secondary school where in this year first time Medical and Non-Medical streams have been introduced but without lecturer’s, and this situation forced maximum students to opt Arts subjects again.” adding that I am always praying my God for a better change that can solve our problems related to our education system.

Another student Javid Ahmad, a 20 years old who interfered the conversation and said, “ Let me tell you  true story of my area, I and my friends are confused, the fact of confusion is that whether our area is a part Jammu and Kashmir or not because the state government seems no more interested in solving our day-to-day problems and is not taking concentrate steps for the development of our area and our area is totally ignored,  we see political leaders only at the time when they need our  votes,”

Giving hundreds of instances related to the ignorance of the area, Javid said that in the month of May of this year some lectures from Kishtwar and Badarwah joined our Higher Secondary School but from that time we don’t know where are they? Are they alive or not?

Firdous also said, “I have so many dreams among them one was to see the Jahawar Tunnel and second is to became a doctor, I am very thankful to the Indian army that they provided me and my friends an opportunity, not to see only the Jawahar Tunnel but Jammu, Kolkata , and firstly I am going to see train, a ground where our national players are playing cricket  my favorite game.” Adding that I will definitely tell my father and other senior citizens to visit army officer’s office so that they can open a school in our Wardwan, where I and all my friends can get better education and I can became a doctor.

Firdous and all his 35 friends were happy because they were leaving the valley first time, wearing the track suits of Indian army entire group of students, their parents, two teachers, one male and other female, entered in the conference hall of 2 Sector Rashtria Rifles in order to listen the speech of Brig. Sanjay Gupta, who had recently joined the office after the transfer of Brig. P.K Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, the officer said the objective of the tour is to educate the children about the vast cultural diversity, mutual co-existence and rapid progress made by the nation. He also stressed upon the students to take every benefit from the tour and write down every thing you see during those days so that you can share the experience with your friends and parents. He exhorted the students to spread the message of ‘unity in diversity’

Moreover, Commanding Officer, 19RR, Ail Maini  told this reporter that the students will get a chance to visit interesting and educative sites such as victora memorial, Botanical Garden, Birla Planetarium, Eden garden etc in the great city.

It is worth to mention that the 19RR is continuously contributing in Wardwan by conducting Free Medical Camps, constructing bridges and foot bridges etc for the development of the area where the people merely trust upon the state government for the development and in solving the day-today life of the people of the area.