Srinagar, Feb 3: Historic Eidgah ground is facing vandalisation as the State Government has started construction of a drain through it for carrying sewage of adjoining areas.  
 For past many centuries, Historic Eidgah ground has been used by people of Kashmir for offering congregational Eid prayers.
 Historians say Hazrat Mir Muhammad Hamdani (RA) son of Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (RA) popularly known as Shah-e-Hamdan had purchased a vast expanse of open land measuring 400 kanals at Eidgah nearly 600 years ago and gifted it to Kashmiris for offering Eid prayers.
 In past few decades, the Eidgah ground has shrunk to less that 70 kanals with successive regimes failing to save it from encroachments and haphazard construction activities. However, people of Eidgah and adjoining areas were surprised when the Urban Environment Engineering Department (UEED) recently started construction of a drain through the historic ground.
 “It is shocking that the Government is constructing a drain to cater sewage of adjoining areas through historic Eidgah ground. This is a sheer attempt to hurt sentiments of the Muslim Ummah who have been offering Eid prayers at this ground,” the locals told Greater Kashmir.
 They said even if construction of drain for low lying areas of Eidgah was necessary, the authorities should have spared the Eidgah ground given its historic and religious sanctity.
 The historic Eidgah ground also houses Martyrs Graveyard where hundreds of people, killed by forces across Kashmir in past over two decades, are buried. The Eidgah ground has been at centre-stage of the ongoing movement for “right to self-determination” since 1990.
 “It is clear that Government wants to vandalize this historic ground. In past two decades, the Eidgah ground has been bifurcated into three parts and squeezed for mere political reasons rather vengeance. Government wants to render this ground useless in disguise of haphazard constructions. For past over one year, construction material has been dumped across the ground,” they said.
 The locals resolved to launch an agitation to save Eidgah from further vandalisation. “Enough is enough. We won’t tolerate vandalization of this historic ground. We are finalizing programme for launching an agitation against vandalisation of this ground under a conspiracy by the Government,” they said.
 When contacted Superintending Engineer UEED Fida Hussain acknowledged construction of the drain through the ground.
 “In absence of drains, some low lying areas of Eidgah get water-logged during rains in summer. We started construction of the drain through Eidgah to permanently resolve the problem. However, the locals objected to it. They have made their representation and we are negotiating with them. Hopefully we would find a way out soon,” the SE told Greater Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 4 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST