Bangus Valley : New Rule
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday (March 6, 2025) announced a new set of rules for Bangus, a far-off tourist spot near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir, in a bid to promote it as an ecotourism destination
- Lying within the Trans-Himalayan area, Bangus is a unique ecological combination comprising a mountain biome, which includes a grassland biome with flora at lower altitudes; and Taiga or Coniferous forest.
- The valley which lies at an altitude of around 10,000 ft. above sea level is in the northern part of district Kupwara within the Handwara sub District.
- Occupying an estimated area of 300 sq. km, the principal valley locally known as Bodh Bangus (Big Bangus) consists of a linear elliptical bowl aligned along the east-west axis.
- The valley is surrounded by Rajwar and Mawar in the east, Shamasbury and Dajlungun Mountains in the west and Chowkibal and Karnah Guli in the north.
- A smaller valley known as Lokut Bangus (Small Bangus) lies on the north-eastern side of the main valley.
- Both the valleys have level green meadows surrounded by low-lying mountains covered with dense Coniferous forests (budloo) and a stream flowing through them..
