Sir,
Author would like to appreciate and thank readers for interest showed in special column ‘Village Weekly’. Mr. Satish Mohan Pandit added valuable features on Chuchoot (DE, 12 June 2015). In fact life in villages is so rich in diversity that it is nearly impossible for any outsider to explore and capture entire gamut of features of village in single visit. Author’s account of villages is based on primary information collected through field survey conducted by him by personally visiting all these villages during months of July-August 2013. Usually Sarpanch, Panch, ex-Sarpanch, ‘Numberdar’, elderly persons, educated youth, Village Level Worker (VLW) and common villagers formed the sources of information presented in ‘Village Weekly’.
Information on Chuchoot was sourced from Sarpanch and Block Development Office of Chuchoot block located at Chuchoot itself. Information on Chuchoot including schools and other features like occupations, assets, farming, culture, etc. generally pertained to Chuchoot ‘Yokma’. “Discrepancies” so-to-say may be viewed from this aspect. Some weird aspects were witnessed too. For instance, Chuchoot village reportedly has six Gram Panchayats because of larger size of village! Normally in other states, each Gram Panchayat has several villages (up to 20 or 25). In Laddakh (and in whole of J&K), each village normally has one Gram Panchayat. Chuchoot village presented a reverse picture. The single village has six GPs. Documentation of village life generally in India and J&K in particular has to be the desired project of public authorities in case we showed even slightest of interest in spectrum of village life. I wish distinguished readers keep showing keen interest in ‘Village Weekly’ and adding value.
Yours etc…
Dr. Mohinder Kumar
Jammu
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