30-kanal State land retrieved in Kulgam, to come up as playfield

Kulgam, Nov 17: Thirty kanals of State land have been retrieved in Srandoo village of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, which will be used for the development of a playfield to meet the needs of the local youth.
An official said that the 30 kanals of State land, previously under illegal encroachments, have been cleared of encroachment by the revenue team led by Tehsildar Kulgam Bilal Ahmad.
The land is slated for development as a playfield by the RDD&PR (Rural Development Department & Panchayati Raj), following directives from the DC Kulgam, he said.
The Tehsildar said that survey Number 148, covering 9 kanals and survey Number 38 spanning 21 kanals were reclaimed and handed over to the RDD for the construction of a playfield.
“Illegal encroachments are being cleared extensively, with the reclaimed land serving the larger public interest. Srandoo village required a playfield, and therefore, this land will be used to fulfill the needs of sports enthusiasts,” he added.
Mohd Ishaq (name changed on request) told Rising Kashmir that it was a long-standing public demand. “We have been demanding the playfield since 2018,” he said.
“Given the rise in drug-related issues, we prefer our children engage in sports rather than getting involved in drug-related activities. This initiative is a positive step. However, we urge the authorities to also recover land from other areas in the village for the greater good,” he added.