Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 21: Scores of quarry and stone crusher workers today staged a protest at Wuyan village of Pampore area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district demanding short term permission for quarrying.
The protesters were holding the placards and banners and were demanding revocation of the ban on stone quarrying activities imposed by the Government
The workers, who said that they have been left jobless, were raising slogans against the administration for the step which they termed as cruel, and in favour of their demands. The protest was held at Bakshi Bagh Wuyan under the joint banner of all quarry associations and stone crushers associations.
“We don’t have money to pay back the finances of our tippers; we appeal to the LG administration to do justice with us as the stone quarrying and crushing are our only means of livelihood,” the protestors said.
The protestors alleged that the industrialists who have set up factories in the area are not being touched despite they are damaging the environment; however, they said only the poor man is being targeted from everywhere.
“The industrialists are being allowed to operate. Look at the cement factories in the Khonmoh what are they doing to the environment; they are rampantly chopping off trees in the area,” they said.
The workers demanded that the stone quarrying from Awantipora to Khonmoh should be allowed keeping in view its drastic impact on those who are associated with the sector.
“Short term permits should be issued to us. What they are doing to us is injustice. They are saying that, things will change, but nothing is happening on the ground,” the workers said.
Abdul Rashid Parra, a worker said that they are not doing anything illegal and that it is sheer injustice on the part of the Government
“We appeal the administration from the stone quarry association, tipper drivers association as well as from crushers association to look into the matter as soon as possible. We should be given short term permits to operate as our families are suffering,” he said.