Sajad Hameed
Contractors and labourers of various areas of Tangmarg, Kunzer in North Kashmir Thursday staged a silent protest in Tangmarg to demand immediate revocation of e-tendering of Nallah Ferozpora in Tangmarg Baramulla District.
The protesting labourers told The Kashmiriyat that they are earning their livelihood from Nallah Ferozpora and said thousands of labours are working on the nallah for the past thirty years and this is the only source for the earning to a large number of labourers.
“Few months ago, Geology and Mining department started the e-tendering process of Ferozpora nallah in tangmarg, kunzer area and allotted Ferozpora nallah to the contractor but he did not allow us to work on the nallah”, the protesting Contractors labourers said.
The labourers have appealed the governor led administration to revoke the decision of e-trending on Ferozpora nallah so that the labourer community in the area can continue to earn their livelihood.
Earlier, Administrative Secretaries of departments of Industries & Commerce, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs, along with HoDs of Geology & Mining, Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing and Pollution Control Board, were present in the meeting.
The Chief Secretary has urged upon Commissioner/ Secretary Industries to examine and submit a proposal regarding possible devolution of mining rights to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) on land under their jurisdiction through short term permits.
It has also been recommended that the framework for extraction procedure under local self-governance mechanism, along-with sharing of revenue between Geology & Mining Department and PRIs may also be worked out.
Further, Administrative Secretary, Industries & Commerce, was asked to identify 100 locations where PRIs could be given rights for STPs and the department can apply for various permits and clearances on behalf of PRIs, besides providing them logistic support on a pilot basis.