Chenab Valley

The Chenab Valley is a river valley formed by the Chenab River. The term is also used to refer to the regions of the Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu Division in Jammu and Kashmir, India. These districts were formerly part of a single district, called Doda.[lower-alpha 1][3][4][5]

Chenab Region
Chenab River at Ramban
Nicknames: 
Chenab-belt, Chenab Valley
Country India
Union TerritoryJammu and Kashmir
Area
 • Total11,885 km2 (4,589 sq mi)
Population
[1]
 • Total924,345
 • Density78/km2 (200/sq mi)
Languages
 • Spoken
  1. Kashmiri
  2. Bhaderwahi
  3. Sarazi
  4. Urdu
  5. Gojri
  6. Kishtwari
  7. Padri
  8. Pogali
  9. Rambani
Districts
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)Sunil Gupta (IPS)[2] yes
Chenab Valley
Geology
TypeRiver Valley
LocationJammu and Kashmir, India
Population centersDoda, Ramban, Kishtwar
Borders onKashmir Valley, Himachal Pradesh, Udhampur district
Traversed byNH244
RiversChenab River

Name

The name derives from the Chenab river, which flows through and forms the valley. The term "Chenab valley" was used by Erik Norin in a 1926 journal article "The Relief Chronology of Chenab Valley", to refer to the valley formed by the Chenab river in the Himalayas.[6] More recently, this term has also come to be used by various social activists and politicians referring to the areas of the former Doda district[lower-alpha 1] formed in 1948.[1][7] The term is used by many residents of Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar districts to assert a distinct cultural identity within the larger Jammu division.[8][9]

Geography

The Chenab Valley lies between the middle and great Himalayan range in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It constitutes parts of the Doda, Ramban, and Kishtwar districts of Jammu and Kashmir.[1][3] The area is an active seismic zone.[10]

History

In the past, the area around Doda was largely inhabited by Sarazi population before people started settling here from the Kashmir valley and other adjoining areas.[11][12] The reasons for this migration in the 17th and 18th centuries are a matter of ambiguity among historians.[13] Sumantra Bose says that repression by the feudal class in the Kashmir valley drew people to these areas.[14][15] The three districts consist of areas drawn from the principalities of Kishtwar and Bhadarwah, both of which were part of Udhampur district in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, Paddar used to part of Chamba State in the past and was later added to the princely state. Kashmiris form the largest group in the three districts while Gujjars, Dogras, Paharis and Bhaderwahis have significant population. Chenab Valley is rich in cultural heritage and ethical values, but also has age-old traditions of secularism and tolerance.[14]

Demographics

Religion

Religion in Chenab Valley (2011)[16]

  Islam (59.97%)
  Hinduism (39.23%)
  Others (0.80%)
Sex Ratio in Chenab Valley in 2011 Census.[16]
(no. females per 1,000 males)
Religion (and population) Sex Ratio
Muslim (pop 554,355)
 
 932
Hindu (pop 362,578)
 
 884
Other (pop 7,412)
 
 722
Total (pop 924,345)
 
 913

Muslims form a majority in the three districts constituting Chenab Valley. About 60% of the population was Muslim according to the 2011 census, and the rest 40% are mostly Hindus.

Language

Languages of Chenab Valley (2011)[17]

  Kashmiri (47.03%)
  Gojri (10.17%)
  Bhaderwahi (9.90%)
  Siraji (8.28%)
  Dogri (5.03%)
  Kishtwari (4.18%)
  Pahadi (4.03%)
  Hindi (3.02%)
  Padari (1.86%)
  Other (6.51%)

Chenab Valley is home to a variety of ethnic groups. Officially, Urdu and English are used, but the Chenab Valley is home to a variety of languages, including Kashmiri, which is the most widely spoken language in the region,[18] Gojri, Kishtwari, Bhaderwahi, Sarazi, Dogri, Rambani, Pogali, Pahari, Bhalessi, and Padri.[19]

Tourism

The area has many tourist destinations, including:

Demands for Divisional Status
Location of the districts for which separate divisional status is sought within Jammu and Kashmir

There has been a movement demanding divisional for the Chenab valley by various social and political activists for long time. In 2014, a major protest was called in Doda for the demand of separate administrative division.[20] The demand again rose in 2018 and 2019 when Ladakh got divisional status and the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah added "Two Separate Divisional Status for Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal Region" to his party's political agenda.[21] As of 2021, the movement for divisional status again increased after rumours of second bifurcation of J&K and demand for a separate state of Jammu.[22] There is a common reason for this demand. People allege negligence in terms of developmental issues by the government if the Chenab valley remains linked to the Jammu division.[1] The districts of the proposed Chenab Valley consists of six Assembly seats.[23]

The Bhartiya Janata Party maintains that "there is no Chenab valley and it is only the Jammu division for representation of the region",[24] while the JKNC says that the demand is based on developmental negligence and wants separate divisions from Jammu division for Chenab valley and Pir Panjal.[25]

The areas of the three districts are termed as the DKR Range (Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban Range) by police and military officials, while a separate Deputy Inspector General is posted for this range by J&K Police.[26]

Hill Development Council

In 1996, Dr. Farooq Abdullah as Chief minister promised administrative autonomy to Chenab. Later in 2000, a bill demanding a Hill Development Council for Chenab valley was presented in the legislative assembly by the Sheikh Abdul Rehman (then MLA from Bhaderwah).[27]

Natural disasters

2013 Earthquake in Chenab valley
  • A 5.8 earthquake hit the Erstwhile Doda on 1 May, 2013, killing two and injuring 69.[28] Seismic activity continued in the valley throughout 2013, prompting teams of seismologists to study the area. A local belief states that the earthquakes were being caused by hydroelectric construction projects in the area.[29]

2017 Thathri flash floods
  • Flash floods wreaked havoc in Thathri town of Doda district of J&K, inundating vast areas along the Batote- Kishtwar National Highway and washing away half a dozen houses. Six persons were killed in the flash floods.[30]

2021 Hunzar Kishtwar Cloudburst
Main article: Hunzar Kishtwar Cloudburst 2021
  • Cloudburst hits Hunzar hamlet in Dachhan area of Kishtwar district resulting into death of 26 persons and 17 injured on 28 July, 2021. As per reports, only 7 dead bodies were recovered while 19 dead bodies were not found.[31] As of October 5, 2021, one out of 19 missing persons' dead bodies was found after more than 70 days, while 18 others remain missing.[32]

References
  1. Anzer Ayoob (17 July 2021). "J&K: Chenab Valley Seeks Separate Divisional Status as well as Council". NewsClick.in. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  2. "Jammu and Kashmir Police - Zone/Range". jkpolice.gov.in. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  3. Tahir Nadeem (9 February 2021). "'Earthquakes, cloudbursts can damage Chenab Valley dams'". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  4. "Geelani vows to resist settlement of retired soldiers in Kashmir". Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  5. "THROUGH THE PIR PANJAL". The Hindu. 7 July 2001. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  6. Erik Norin (1926), "The Relief Chronology of the Chenab Valley", Geografiska Annaler, 8: 284–300, doi:10.2307/519728, JSTOR 519728
  7. Behera, Navnita Chadha (2007), Demystifying Kashmir, Pearson Education India, Map 1-3, p. 28, ISBN 978-8131708460
  8. "Chenab Valley: Victimized In All Political Regimes". Kashmir Age. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  9. Vikalp Ashiqehind (9 November 2018). "Sarazi: Endangered Language of the Chenab Valley". Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  10. "Chenab valley quakes not due to hydro projects: Scientists"
  11. "Sarazi: Endangered Language of the Chenab Valley". Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  12. "Story of Doda misunderstood by Kashmir". Greater Kashmir. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  13. "Mini Kashmir". Kashmir Life. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  14. Snedden, Christopher (2015), Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris, Oxford University Press, p. xxi, 23, ISBN 978-1-84904-342-7
  15. "Sarazi: Endangered Language of the Chenab Valley". Sahapedia. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  16. C-1 Population By Religious Community – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  17. C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Jammu & Kashmir (Report). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  18. N. Koul, Omkar. "Spoken Kashmiri — A language course". Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  19. "Chenab valley languages belongs to Western Pahari classification: BHC". The Chenab Times. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  20. "Protest by Doda Development Front over demands of Chenab region". Hindustan Times. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  21. "Separate division for Ladakh: Omar promises two more for Chenab valley, Pir Panjal if voted to power". Times of India. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  22. Bhakto, Anando (10 June 2021). "All options are open, says Farooq Abdullah amidst rumours of another bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  23. "Ghulam Nabi Azad promises to develop Chenab Valley as 'Model region'". Economic Times. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  24. "BJP cries foul over use of term 'Chenab valley' again". Tribune (India). 11 November 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  25. "Small Separatism". India Today. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  26. "DIG DKR Range chairs crime review meeting". State Times. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  27. "Why oppose Hill Council status for Chenab, Pir Panjal valleys?". Brighter Kashmir. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  28. "IIT scientists, NDMA assess damages in quake-hit Erstwhile Doda". The Hindu. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  29. "Erstwhile doda quakes not due to hydro projects: Scientists"
  30. "Chenab Valley: 6 Killed in Thathri Floods". Times of India. 22 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  31. "Kishtwar Cloudburst: Two More Bodies Recovered, Toll Reaches 7, Says Officials". The Chenab Times. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  32. "Hunzer Kishtwar Cloudburst: Body of one out of 19 missing people found after 70 days". The Chenab Times. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.

Notes
  1. The Doda district was divided into the present-day districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir.

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