Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Stone-quarry owners protest administrate directives

Reyaz Ahmed
Baramulla, Jan 13, 2014

Scores of stone quarry owners from Drangbal area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district staged a strong protest demonstration against the directions issued by district administration intimating the stone quarry owners to stop their operation for the quarries that are located in Kahcharie (pasture land).

The protesting quarry owners alleged that thousands of families of the area earn their livelihood form the stone quarries but revenue and civil administration authorities have directed them to stop their operation for their stone quarries are located in pasture land.

“Where would our families and educated youth, who earn their daily livelihood from the stone quarries, go? There are scores of stone quarries in Drangbal area which are the sole source of income for the people in the area,” rued Ghulam Hussan Naikoo, a stone quarry owner from Drangbal.

“We have been working in these quarries from the last 50 years where was the government and concerned authorities then,” added Naikoo.

Demanding non-implementation and revocation of court judgment passed in case titled Jagpal Singh and others versus state of Punjab and others in AIR2011 SC 1123 ‘directing the concern authorities to ensure the stopping of all stone quarries which are in operation within ‘Kahcharie’’, the stone quarry owners put forth their grievances and reservations before tehsildar Baramulla.

“We want concerned authorities to take a lenient view on the issue for there is alarming rate of unemployment in the state if such source of earning would be closed down what would happen to those families who derive their livelihood from these quarries,” added another stone quarry owner, Mohammed Yousf Bhat.

When contacted Tehsildar Baramulla Bashir Ahmed, said that there are directions from divisional commissioner Kashmir vide order No DIVCOM/RA-AVS/355/11/2013 dated 14-12-2013 that the judgment of apex court passed in case no AIR2011 SC 1123 be implemented.

“The order directs the concern authorities to ensure the stopping of all stone quarries which are in operation within ‘Kahcharie’, Bashir Ahmad added.

“We to have to implement the directions of higher ups and the court order so we intimated the quarry owners to stop their operation till further orders,” added Bashir Ahmed.

Copyright © 2011 D.Z. International

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