Memorandum submitted to Nitin Gadkari ji, National President, BJP by Tarun Vijay, MP and senior leaders from Zanskar valley

Memorandum submitted to Nitin Gadkari ji, National President, BJP by Tarun Vijay, MP and senior leaders from Zanskar valley  

Memorandum submitted to Hon’ble Nitin Gadkari ji, National President, BJP by Tarun Vijay, MP and senior leaders from Zanskar valley

Thursday, 03 February 2011

Esteemed Sir,

Your esteemed self is well aware with the fact that Zanskar Sub Division is the most remotest and difficult to access area of Kargil District. It lies at a distance of 240 KMs from its District Headquarter, the only sub division in India having this ‘distinction’. Due to heavy snowfall, Zanskar remains isolated from rest of the world for more than six months in a year. During the cold severe winter months, when the mercury dips to minus 30 to minus 40 degree C, the internal connectivity even within the Sub Division also gets snapped due to heavy snowfall. Being situated in the shadow of western Himalayas the region is characterized by cold and dry climate, sparse and stunted vegetation, high wind velocity and stark seasonal and harsh temperature fluctuations. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is the mainstay of livelihood of more than 99 % (i.e. about 15000 souls) of local population. As such the economic status of the population is low by any standard. Zanskar is accessible for only half the year by vehicle from Kargil and then only by routes over high passes and through frozen gorge in mid winter popularly known as chaddar trek. Under the back drop of above cited facts, we may have the honour to put forth following genuine demands for your sympathetic consideration and earliest redressal please:

1. SPEEDY CONSTRUCTION OF NIMOO-PADUM- DARCHA ROAD (NPD)

The people of Zanskar have been demanding the construction of an all weather road along gorges of Zanskar River since last two decades. The long cherished demand of people of Zanskar bore fruit following the Kargil war in 1999, when the Govt constituted a committee to probe into the matter of why Indian Army had suffered heavy losses and casualties during the Kargil war and suggest remedial measures. The committee observed that the major stretch of present Srinagar-Leh National Highway comes within the range of artillery shelling from across the border. Therefore the committee recommended the Govt to have a fair weather defence alternative road which links Ladakh with the rest of the country via Zanskar to Manali. As such Nimoo- Padum- Darcha road was sanctioned as this road goes along the safest alignment along the gorge of Zanskar River. This road besides having promises for the indigenous inhabitants of Zanskar valley is a matter of paramount importance for the security of the nation. Still the pace of work on this project is going on at a snail’s pace and with this ‘no-speed progress’ it is going to take another two decades to complete the rest of the forty five kms stretch. Since the starting of construction work on this road the executing agency Border Road Organization could hardly construct a stretch of 122km on the 168km long Nimoo Padum road.Even after a lapse of more the 10 years the major portion of the steep rocky cliff is yet to be negotiated.

Both the highways Srinaga-Leh and Manali-Leh that connect Ladakh with the rest of the country remain closed for 7 months in a year and both highways comes along the artillery shelling range during war. Ladakh being a war field the same project (NPD) holds a great strategic importance.

Therefore against the back drop of above mentioned facts yours esteemed self is requested to kindly instruct the concerned authorities to expedite work on this project.

2. SAPERATE DISTRICT STATUS FOR ZANSKAR SUB DIVISION

Zanskar is located at a distance of more than 240 kms from its district head quarter Kargil. Due to heavy snowfall, the sub division remains cut off from rest of world and even from district head quarter for more than 7 months in a year. Therefore the people of Zanskar have to suffer a lot on account of administrative and developmental works. Zanskar is the only sub division in whole of India which is 240 kms away from the district headquarters and remains cut off from it for 7 month in a year. Recently many new districts were created in J&K state but no consideration was made for Zanskar. As such keeping the above facts in view separate district status may kindly be granted in favour of Zanskar sub division.

3. ADDITIONAL COUNCILLOR SEATS FOR ZANSKAR IN LAHDC KARGIL

For the proper participatory development of remote and backward areas the govt. have created provision for self governance in the form of Autonomous Hill Development Council. But to the dismay of people of Zanskar the representation from Zanskar to the LAHDC Kargil is very poor. To marginalize the people of Zanskar population was made the criteria for representation in the council ignoring the backwardness, remoteness, geographical isolation and geotropic graphic constraints. Therefore keeping the geographical size and remoteness of Zanskar in view the number of seats for Zanskar in LAHDC Kargil may kindly be enhanced to at least five.

4. SEPARATE ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCY FOR ZANSKAR

For the proper representation from Zanskar into the state legislative assembly an assembly constituency for Zanskar was granted in 1989 on the recommendation of Wazir commission. But again distorting the recommendation of the Wazir commission, numbers of villages from the Suru valley out-numbering the population of minority Zanskar sub Division was deliberately included in to Zanskar Assembly Constituency in 1992. Ironically for the democratic history of India not a single Zanskari has ever represented state Assembly even after having an Assembly constituency in its name.

We the people of Zanskar are thankful to Mr Tarun Vijay, MP and National Spokesperson for visiting this place and for seeing the condition of the people there and for witnessing the ongoing work that is going on this project (NPD).

Keeping in view all the mentioned fact we request your hon’ble good self to direct the concern Authorities for necessary action.