Boniyar Explained

Boniyar
Native Name Lang:ur
Other Name:Buniyar
Settlement Type:Tehsil
Pushpin Map:India Jammu and Kashmir#India
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
Coordinates:34.1364°N 74.1786°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: India
Subdivision Type1:Union territory
Subdivision Name1:Jammu and Kashmir
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Baramulla
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:96
Elevation M:1577
Population Total:72,564
Population As Of:2011
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Languages
Demographics1 Title1:Official
Demographics1 Info1:Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English[1] [2]
Demographics1 Title2:Spoken
Demographics1 Info2:Pahari, Gojri
Timezone1:IST
Utc Offset1:+5:30
Postal Code Type:PIN
Postal Code:193122
Registration Plate:JK05

Boniyar[3] is a town and a municipal committee in Boniyar tehsil, Baramulla district in India's northernmost union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is located 20 km towards west from district headquarters Baramulla. Boniyar was given tehsil status in 2006. Prominent villages in tehsil Boniyar are Noorkhah, Bagna, Salamabad, Wopal Haq Marg, Athishampora, Bijhama, Trikanjan, Barnate, Uranbuha, Chandanwari, Rampur, Chahla and Nowshera.A major tourist attraction is Lower Jhelum hydropower project at Chalah Boniyar, having a capacity of generating 105 MW. Lachipora wildlife sanctuary has been established for conserving markhoor and other vulnerable animals.

The bank of the dam of Lower Jehlum Hydropower plant has become a tourist destination; Nowshera at the opposite side of river Jhelum has amazing viewpoints.

There is a diversity of people living in tehsil Boniyar of the Baramulla district, with most of the people speaking Pahari. About 50-70 % people of tehsil Boniyar speak Pahari, with a large number of Pahari speakers. The remainder mainly speak Kashmiri, Gujri, and Urdu.It is a Muslim-dominated region with about 60% belonging to the Sunni Muslim community and 38% to the Shia Muslim community.Other religions comprise the minority, with about 1% Hindus and 1% Sikhs.Noorkhah, a village of Boniyar tehsil, has significant mineral resources such as gypsum, limestone and ochre, with gypsum currently being extracted. However, this has also led to ill effects to the residents such as deforestation, soil erosion, and landslides.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 . The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020 . 27 September 2020.
  2. News: Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 . Rising Kashmir . 23 September 2020 . 23 September 2020 . 24 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200924141909/http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 . dead .
  3. Urdu: {{Nastaliq|بونیار