Sand Extraction Contracts: APHC asks Govt to stop ‘exploitation’

SRINAGAR — All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Friday said that during the COVID pandemic while initiating the implementation of a demographic change in J&K, the government is simultaneously now also exploiting its natural wealth and resources and rendering local people jobless, taking advantage of the situation as people are struggling with the pandemic and its adverse effects on their daily lives and livelihood.

It said that since December last year, for the first time authorities have ensured that the contracts for mineral blocks in every district of J&K are given to non-local contractors by opening up the bidding process to them and then manipulating it in their favour.

“Now through an e-auction process, hundreds of sand extraction blocks along the river Jhelum and its tributaries that used to be given to locals against a royalty to the government, have also all been given to non-locals. This process has rendered thousands of people associated with sand digging completely jobless,” the statement said.

Hundreds of families, directly or indirectly connected with this activity since decades for earning their livelihood, have been snatched of that livelihood. Hurriyat said this is anti-human and undemocratic to say the least.

APHC asked the government to stop exploiting the situation and inflicting one assault after another on the people of J&K.

It reiterated that such tactics will not change the basic reality of the Kashmir issue and the need for its resolution.