Though the Kashmiri marriages are famous for ‘Wanwun and Wazwan’, but inhabitants in congested old city area in Srinagar who are to marry off their beloved sons and daughters have no space to celebrate.In the congested locality of Gadood Bagh in Habba Kadal here, the parents are worried as to where they will host the guests, for the governments has so far failed to construct community hall.Inhabitants told KNS that in the congested area, the authorities are leaving hundreds of residents to lurch. ‘The locality needs to have a community hall but unfortunately so far the successive regimes have failed to construct a community hall for the well-being of residents,’ they said.One of the Mohalla Behbood committee member told KNS that in the year 2016, almost 21 families have fixed marriage ceremonies of their sons or daughters but due to the official apathy, the residents are in fix. ‘We don’t have any alternate to host our guests or for the reception of our grooms,’ they said.He said that earlier they were booking handicraft office for such purposes but unfortunately due to some issues they are now restricting inhabitants to host their guests in the building.
A local told KNS that they went from pillar to post in this regard but nothing has been done. ‘Authorities concerned should look into the hardships of residents and should redress the genuine demands soon,’ he saidInhabitants said that they also approached Commissioner Secretary in this regard who assured them of any possible help.However, the tension has gripped among the residents as the marriage dates are approaching but the venue to hold marriages is still nowhere. ‘Where will we host our guests who are going to attend the marriage ceremonies of our beloved ones,’ residents told KNS.Fatima Begum, a widow whose daughter’s marriage ceremony date has been fixed in May this year said that with the non-availability of community hall in the locality, she want to postpone her daughter’s marriage till she won’t find any place to host her guests.‘The failure of state administration in constructing the community hall in the area has left residents to lurch at large,’ she said.
MLA Habba Kadal, Shameema Firdous told KNS that she is trying hard to provide relief to the inhabitants of the area but due to some issues with Handicrafts department, the process to construct community hall was stopped. ‘I am personally looking into the issue but due to some issues pending with Handicraft department the residents have to wait till any solution won’t come out,’ she said.
However, locals said that they are exercising their franchise in her favour but she is not paying any heed to their sufferings thereby leaving them to lurch at large.Assistant Director Handicrafts Srinagar, Mushtaq Ahmad said that from block officer to higher ups of the department, they all want that the community hall should be given to the residents as they know what residents are suffering from but the only thing which led to the stoppage of the progress is that under whose domain the building will remain.He said that it is up to government now to resolve the issue. ‘Whatever the decision will be taken by the government, we will surely follow that,’ he told KNS.However, residents said that due to the issues pending between government and Handicrafts department, they are facing tremendous hardships. ‘Authorities should look into the matter before leaving residents to lurch at large,’ they said. (KNS)