XVIII-DISTRICT KARGIL

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CHAPTER – XVIII

DISTRICT KARGIL

18.1 Kargil District was carved out of erstwhile Ladakh District in the year 1979. Located at a distance of 224 Kms from Srinagar and having an area of 14036 sq. kms. Kargil lies in the north-east of Kashmir Valley. The whole area comprises high rocky mountains mostly devoid of any natural vegetation. Population wise Kargil has the lowest density in the State after Leh District having a density of eight persons per sq. km with a total population of 1,19,307 souls as per 2001 census.

18.2 With only one town of Kargil which is also the District headquarter, the District comprises one hundred and twenty nine villages. The District has two Tehsils namely Kargil and Zanskar with a Sub-Division at Zanskar. The District remains cut off by road link from the rest of the State from November to May due to heavy snowfall on Srinagar-Leh National Highway at Zojila Pass. Drass, the second coldest inhabited place in the world after Siberia falls in this District.

18.3 Against a total area of 14036 sq. kms, cultivated area in the District is around 10000 hectares and the soil is generally coarse mixed with stones/gravels. The fertility of the soil varies from place to place and crop season is short with an average rainfall of 26 cms only.

18.4 The District presents composite cultures of Balti, Ladakhi, Dardi, Ianshari and Shina, but irrespective of ethnic identities the people live in harmony. The District is a diverse spectrum of tribal cultures which is colorful and enchanting.

TEHSIL SANKU

18.5 In Kargil District, a new Tehsil of Sanku has been sanctioned by the State Government vide Government order referred to in chapter I. Since the other Tehsil of the district, Zanskar is across the Penzila Pass the Sanku Tehsil has to be carved out of the existing Kargil Tehsil. Presently Sanku is a Niabat with its headquarter at Thangdumbor (popularly known as Sanku) comprising thirteen Patwar Halqas and thirty six villages with a population of 34,289 souls as per the census of 2001. This Niabat starts just after Minji village in the north-and ends at Rangdum village at the foot of Penzila Pass in the south. 

The Shergol Block meets it in the East and Anantnag District in the West. All the departments of the government including Police, Public works and Naibat are functioning in Sanku village and the departments have same jurisdictions of operation for implementing their respective developmental schemes/programs. Sanku Niabat includes three C.D. Blocks of Gund Mangalpur-Trespone, Sanku and Tesuru. Sanction of the Sanku Tehsil should go a long way in catering to the administrative and developmental needs of the area. 

These people are very simple and need to be awakened educationally and socially and made conscious of developments taking place around them.

18.6 Nature has generously laid out this area in two lush green valleys of Suru and Kurtse with Suru River dividing it in two parts for the full length of the belt. The Parkachik Glacier is at the base of the world famous Nun and Kun mountain peaks. These two snow capped mountain peaks shinning day and night, are part of Sanku Niabat, and attract tourists and the trackers from the world over.

18.7 Sanku is connected with Zanskar through fair weather vehicular road. The National High Way at Drass got recently connected, by a new road, to Sanku via Umbala and pass through Sanku to Shergol. A pony track connects Panikher with Pahalgam during summer months. This rich connectivity with roads, in an otherwise far flung and distant mountainous region will play a very important role in the speedy development of the area.

18.8 The Committee toured Kargil District up to Panikher and met groups of people at various places. They welcomed the Committee and expressed gratitude to the Government for sanctioning a Tehsil for Sanku. Also a number of deputations of political parties, religious representatives, prominent citizens and other respectable people met the Committee enroute and at Dak Bunglow Kargil and interacted on the subject. 


The Member Legislative Assembly Shri Ghulam Raza and Ex-MP Shri Mohd. Hussain Commander also joined the deputations and appreciated and supported the Government action in sanctioning the Tehsil for Sanku. The Committee also had an interaction with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil which was attended by Deputy Commissioner Kargil as well. Discussions were also held with Deputy Commissioner Kargil and other senior officers of the District administration. 

18.9 A representation signed by some people from seven villages of Trespon,

Saleskote, Tambis Kanor, Farona etc. was submitted to the Committee at Kargil

requesting continuance of these villages in Kargil Tehsil in view of better facilities

available to them there in. However, when the Committee passed through these villages,

no such demand was made by the habitants. Similarly a deputation from Rangdum village

and Gompa submitted a representation at Leh, requesting there in for shifting of

Rangdum to Zanskar Tehsil for better management of their landed property in Zanskar.

They have forgotten that Panzila pass standing in between Rangdum and Zanskar remains

closed during winter months. However, the above mentioned two representations do not

carry much weight.

18.10 Considering all relevant factors like administrative parameters,

convenience of public, geographical locations and popular demand etc, the Committee

recommends that the jurisdiction of the Sanku Tehsil should be the same as that of the

current Niabat. The list of Patwar Halqas/name of revenue villages, map of the Tehsil are

appended as follows:-

i. List of Patwar Halqas and villages of Sanku Tehsil – Appendix XVIII-1

ii. Map of Tehsil Sanku – Appendix XVIII-2

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APPENDIX XVIII – 1

TEHSIL – SANKU

S.No. Name of Patwar Halqas Name of Villages

1. Parkachick i. Rangdum

ii. Parkachick

iii. Tangole

iv. Achamboor

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2. Namsuru i. Khawos

ii. Namsuru

iii. Thulus Pursa

iv. Kochick

3. Panikhar i. Kargee

ii. Tai-suru

iii. Panikhar

iv. Printee

v. Choskore

4. Purtikchey i. Purtikchey

ii. Youljuk

5. Sangrah i. Sangrah

ii. Karpokhar

iii. Gyaling

6. Trespone i. Trespone

ii. Gound-Mangalpore

7. Saliskote i. Faroona

ii. Saliskote

8. Lankerchay i. Lankerchay

ii. Stakpa

iii. Umba

9. Thangdumbur i. Thangdumbur

ii. Nagmakousar

10. Tambis i. Kanoor

ii. Tambis

11. Thasgam-thuna i. Thasgam-thuna

ii. Karchey-Khar

12. Barsoo i. Barsoo

ii. Khandi

13. Batroo i. Batroo

ii. Shargandi

iii. Itchoo

Total 13 Patwar Halqas 36 Villages

APPENDIX XVIII – 2

MAP SHOWING THE BOUNDARIES OF TEHSIL SANKU

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