Located at an elevation of 1607 metres, Khrew is a known town in the Kashmir valley for being the 3rd contributor to the state economy. After the Tourism department and the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd, Khrew contributes a large percentage to the state economy. The area of Khrew starts from the Babapora till Seer and from Bathen to Ondrusa. The official language spoken here is Kashmiri.
Economy of Khrew
Khrew is known to be the 4th cultivator of saffron in India. Khrew"s major economic drivers are its several cement factories, mega stone crushers, and the production of walnuts and almonds along-with saffron. The cultivation of saffron has gone downhill over the years from 248 kg in a year to 73 kg. The decline in saffron cultivation is due to the pollution from the cement industries which causes a loss of capacity to grow in land. Even though the cement industry has generated good employment in the area but at the same time it has caused a lot of harm due to air pollution caused by the smokes and dust coming out of the chimneys of these factories.
Health and Education in Khrew
The health of people is severely affected in Khrew. According to the reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Khrew has a higher death rate than any other town in the district due to the 100,000 kg of poisonous emissions and toxic fumes from the cement factories. These emissions cause lung, kidney and heart diseases among people. There is one government hospital which provides basic health care facilities to the patients.
In Khrew, there are a total of 7 private English medium schools and two higher secondary schools for both boys and girls respectively.
Demographics of Khrew
As per the reports of the 2014 Census of India, Khrew had a population of 18,411. Out of the total population, males constitute 52% and females 48%. The average literacy rate of Khrew is 42%, which is lower than the national average of 66%. The percentage of male literacy is 22, which is higher than that of the females which is around 20%. In Khrew, 17% of the total population is under 15 years of age.
Khrew is a Muslim majority area, out of which 95% are the Sunni Muslims. The Hindu community comprises of only 2%.
Nearby Attractions in Khrew
Khrew is one of the scenic towns of Kashmir and is famous for its temple of Kashmiri Pandits. It is a temple which is dedicated to Jwala Bhagwati, who is also known as the Goddess of Fire. The temple is revered among the Kashmiri Pandits as Jwalaji is the Isht Devi of the families. The temple is located about 20 km from Srinagar, and gets its name Jwala Bhagwati as it is located on a hill which was once an active volcano. A religious congregation is held every year on the 14th day of the bright fortnight of Savan (July to August), when devotees visit this shrine from all corners of the country. At the bottom of the hillock, there is a spring where people take a dip before making the ascent. There are also other sacred places in Khrew like the holy shrines of the Muslims called the Sabir Shah, Syed Mantaqi, Amanullah Khan Sahab and Baba Qasim Sahab.
Khrew also has 7 springs flowing through the town. Once known for their crystal clear waters, these water bodies have lost their traditional stature due to the unchecked pollution emanating from various cement factories, rendering these springs stagnant and lifeless.
Visiting Information on Khrew
The Srinagar Airport is at a distance of 23 km from Khrew. Travelling via the Pampore-Kakapora roadway is only 17 km and takes about 44 minutes to reach Khrew.
