Ganderbal (PR): Senior National Conference leader and former MLA Ganderbal Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar has said that the decision to lease out the mineral blocks has left thousands of labours and their families disappointed and jobless and has triggered resentment among people.He has appealed to the government to look into the suffering of the quarry workers and revoke the ban at the earliest so the people affiliated with the work could feel a sigh of relief.
In a statement issued here, Sheikh Ishfaq said, “Thousands of people from different areas of Ganderbal are earning their livelihood by working as labourers for extraction of raw materials from nallah Sindh but in the recent past the government ordered to lease out the mineral blocks to contractors which has left over thousands of labourers jobless.”
He said that Government is pushing them towards starvation.”People associated with this are being forced to face hardships due to the government ban imposed on quarrying activities. The ban should be revoked at the earliest for the well being of the poor labours”.
“They have been living from hand to mouth. Thousands of workers associated with quarrying are jobless now. Government has deprived labourers, tipper drivers and others from their living. This is injustice,” the Jabbar said.
Many educated youth in Ganderbal are associated with the quarrying and the previous PDP- BJP government came up with SRO-105 and implemented it, the same has snatched the livelihood of the youth here”, he said.
He further said, “the people associated with quarrying have sold their land and also taken loan from banks to buy tippers, now the quarrying rights have been given on lease to contractors , they have been rendered unemployed.”
Government should either provide them jobs, shops or compensation as they are rendered jobless at homes,”Jabbar added.
Mr Jabbar said, ” I recently raised the issue with Governor J&K Shri Satyapal Malik and with Chief Secretary Shri B V R Subrahmanyam and they assured me redressal of all genuine concerns.
“I once again request the Governor Led administration that the government should revoke the order and allow the local labourers to earn their livelihood,” the statement further added.
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