Shopian, Oct 11 (KNO): Residents from Sindhu Shirmal and adjacent areas in south Kashmir’s Shopian district have urged the authorities to transfer 25 kanals of land at Shirmal to the Youth Services and Sports Department for the establishment of a ‘sports village’.
District Development Council (DDC) member Raja Waheed informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the former Deputy Commissioner of Shopian had already transferred 10 kanals of land near Army Goodwill School to the Youth Services and Sports Department, with an assurance that the remaining 15 kanals would be transferred soon.
Waheed said although there is ample land available in the area, part of it has been “grabbed” by a private transport association, which has even constructed a shed there.
“While there is land for accommodating trucks and other vehicles, assigning this particular patch to transporters will not suffice for their needs, nor will it meet the demands of local youth,” he said, adding that allocating the land to transporters would undermine the concept of the ‘sports village’, depriving local youth of essential sports facilities.
The DDC member said he has officially written to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir UT, urging the transfer of the entire 25-kanal plot to the Youth Services and Sports Department.
In the letter, it was stated that the DDC council, during its recent meeting, unanimously decided that the remaining 15 canals, already under the possession of the department, should be transferred for the development of sports facilities in the Shopian district.
The letter mentioned the vision of utilising the entire patch of land for constructing a comprehensive ‘sports village’ (Khel Gaaon). Such a facility would not only become a central hub for diverse sports activities and events but also significantly contribute to the promotion of sports in the district, Waheed wrote. He expressed optimism that this initiative would nurture sports talent at the grassroots level, fostering a spirit of sportsmanship and healthy competition in the district.
The DDC member concluded the letter with a plea for prompt attention to the matter and the necessary steps to facilitate the transfer of land, stating, “I would be grateful for your prompt attention to this matter and for taking the necessary steps to facilitate the transfer of the land and the development of the sports village. Your support in this endeavour will go a long way in enhancing the overall well-being and development of the youth in Shopian district.”—(KNO)