People in many J and K villages yet to see electric bulb, bus

Srinagar, Feb 25 (UNI) Reshma and Sayda are among the people in 21 remote and far flung Gujjar and Bakerwals villages of south Kashmir, who have not yet seen an electric bulb and a vehicle.

Most of our women and children do not know how an electric bulb and a vehicle look like since they remaine in the forest area, said a group of Gujjar and Bakerwals, who had come to Shopian from different remote and far flung areas, to collect essential commodities.

Alamuddin, a Gujjar, said elderly people from hilly areas go to Shopian to take salt, sugar and other essentials for two to three weeks. However, he said, they used to store essential commodities for six winter months because the area remained cut off due to heavy snowfall. This winter there was little snowfall, he added.

He said there is no electricity and road connectivity to his village and all those who want to go to Shopian has to walk around 20 kms through forests in great risk. He said his two daughters Reshma and Sayda has not seen an electric bulb or a vehicle. Now I am planning to bring them to city during this summer alongwith other children's of the area, he said.

The group members said during the night they wet a cloth in kerosene and later tie it with a stick before lighting it. Some also use kerosene lamp. ''It hardly gives any light but we manage to eat food and do other work since we have no electricity,'' they said adding majority of the people are suffering from Breathing problem as they inhale the kerosene smoke.

In the past they used to burn a particular wood for light which is not available now. ''We get kerosene in the black at Shopian and other places,'' they added.

Choudhary Nazir Ahmad, District Pulwama president of the Jammu and Kashmir Gujjar and Bakarwal Conference, said there are 21 villages in the district where there is no electricity and roads.

There are also 10 villages where there is no road connectivity, water and electricity.

Interestingly Choudhary Nazir said there are enough schools in these remote and far flung areas, where most of the people are from the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities. The schools were opened in the coalition government rule, he added.

However, he complained that all teachers, appointed under Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) are non locals. The teachers are from other areas of the district since we donot have any qualified local youth in our community, he added.

He demanded that SRO 126 should be restored for the welfare of Gujjar and Bakarwals in the state.

Accusing the coalition government of ignoring the two communities, Choudhary Ahmed threatened to launch a statewide agitation if SRO 126 was not restored.

UNI