Ranjit Thakur

Jammu, February 23

In a bid to keep the local youth engaged, the Army is building a playground in the shelling affected village of J&K’s Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district.

The Army is working in coordination with residents of Basuni village, located along the LoC in Mendhar tehsil. The village has a population of around 2,000, but didn’t have even a single playground for the local youth.

The locals have hailed the noble gesture of the Army as this will not only keep the youth physically fit, but will also keep them away from the menace of drugs, other crimes and anti-social activities.

“Continuous shelling from the Pakistan side has kept our children away from sports and it has drastically affected their mental and physical health. We always wanted to have a playground in our village and this dream came true when the Army agreed to construct it in the village,” Mohammad Rahoof, a local, said.

“The Army is not only protecting our borders and us from shelling, but also providing every help in any case of emergency. The Army has always extended a helping hand for the poor border residents,” Mumtaz Ahmad, a villager, said.

Meanwhile, an Army official said, “The main objective of constructing a playground is to keep the youth engaged in constructive and productive purposes. More and more sports events for the youth will be organised to make them physically and mentally fit to meet any future challenges besides staying away from anti-social activities.”