Ganderbal, Dec 26: After being granted tehsil status in 2014, the Gund area of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district still lacks Block Medical Officer (BMO) and Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) which is causing a great inconvenience to the local population.
The BMO office in Kangan currently serves a large population from Wussan to Sarbal Sonamarg. Locals said that the staff at the Kangan office struggles to meet the demands of such a vast area, particularly for essential documentation and administrative tasks.
Residents also highlighted the absence of a ZEO office in Gund. The current ZEO office, located in Ganiwan, is far from accessible for many, creating challenges for both locals and employees. They said that the need for separate ZEO and BMO offices in Gund to address their grievances effectively.
“When Gund was declared a tehsil, we expected essential offices like Horticulture, BMO, and ZEO to be established here. Unfortunately, these crucial departments are still missing, leaving the community to face difficulties,” said a local resident. Although the tehsil has primary health centers (PHCs) and sub-centers, the absence of a dedicated BMO office affects the provision of basic healthcare services. Similarly, the lack of a ZEO office has made routine educational administrative tasks more challenging for both staff and residents.
“We welcomed the decision to declare Gund as a tehsil, but we also raised genuine demands for establishing these offices to meet our everyday needs,” a local resident added. The locals appealed to the Chief Minister of J&K, Omar Abdullah and MLA Kangan, Meher Ali, to address their long-pending demands and ensure the establishment of these vital offices in Gund to prevent further inconvenience.