Ganderbal

Ganderbal गांदरबल گاندربل
city
Ganderbal Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Ganderbal Show map of India Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Coordinates: 34°14′N 74°47′E / 34.23°N 74.78°E / 34.23; 74.78Coordinates: 34°14′N 74°47′E / 34.23°N 74.78°E / 34.23; 74.78
Country	India
State	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Ganderbal
Elevation	1,619 m (5,312 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	297,446
Languages
• Official	Urdu
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)

Ganderbal is a tehsil and a notified area committee in Ganderbal district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Geography

Ganderbal is located at 34°14′N 74°47′E / 34.23°N 74.78°E / 34.23; 74.78.^[1] It has an average elevation of 1,619 metres (5,312 feet) above sea level. It is bordered by the Srinagar district in the south, Bandipore to the north, Kargil in the northeast, Anantnag to the southeast and Baramulla in the southwest. It is divided into four blocks viz, Ganderbal, Kangan, Lar and Wakoora.

Power project

The Sind River, a major tributary to the Jehlum River flows through this district. The water of the river is mainly used for irrigation, and generation of hydroelectricity. There are three hydroelectric power stations, Lower Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project Ganderbal, Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project 1st Kangan and Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project 2nd Sumbal generating electricity on the Sind River. Besides, the water of the river is used for drinking by Srinagar city through Rangil Water Treatment Plant.^[2]

Tourism

Water rafting tournaments are being organised at the tourist destination of Sonamarg every year, to boost the tourism industry of Kashmir valley. Besides Manasbal lake, Gangabal Lake^[3] at the foot of Mount Haramukh is one of the destinations of foreign tourists visiting the valley. Vaishnosar Lake and Gadsar Lake are situated north of Sonamarg.

Development

Despite the fact that in the past Ganderbal has remained CM‘s^[4] constituency,^[5] it is quite behind in development as compared to other districts. Now Ganderbal constituency is represented by Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar who defeated qazi afzal by a little margin of 461 votes in recently held state assembly elections 2014. The State government has now shown some seriousness towards the development of the district. The only Central University^[6] of Kashmir Valley is being constructed in district Ganderbal. One Faculty, the Faculty of Forestry of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir is under construction at Benhama, with the objective to boost the economy and education of the district, which is well behind at present. Physical education college the only one in state is situated at {Gadoora Ganderbal} some 3.5 km away from district headquarters.

Demographics

As of 2011 India census,^[7] Ganderbal had a population of 297446.^[8] Males constitute 53.36% of the population and females 46.64%. Ganderbal has an average literacy rate of 58.04%, lower than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 68.85%, and female literacy is 45.71%. In Ganderbal, 17.01% of the population is under 6 years of age.^[9]

Education

There is a Physical Education College, a Sainik School^[10] Mansbal, Industrial Training Institute, a Degree college and many higher secondary schools. In addition a polytechnic college has been recently constructed and its current status is active. Government has also proposed to construct Central University of Kashmir in Ganderbal. Since 1 April 2007 Ganderbal is now a district carved out from Srinagar.

See also

• Wakura

References