300 stone quarry holders, thousands of workers affected
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 27 : The banning of stone quarrying in Kashmir has not only led to halt in the construction activity in the region but thousands of families who were dependent for their livelihood on quarrying have been badly affected.
Mukhtar Ahmad is a quarry holder in Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar where mining has been banned by the Government in 2016. He was providing employment to 15 people but for last few years as the ban continues all his resources have got exhausted.
“I had two tippers which were being used for ferrying the stones. They are rusting for last one year as we are sitting idle. I had taken loan from the bank and am not able to pay the monthly instalments. I wanted to sell both the tippers but there are no takers. Not only this I have two children and am unable to pay their school fee”, he said.
He said that they were managing the quarrying on a low scale after the ban in 2016 but for last one year they are sitting idle.
This is not the case of Mukhtar Ahmad only, over 300 stone quarry holders in Pantha Chowk and Athwajan areas have same story to tell. There are over 300 more in other parts of Kashmir like in Bandipora and Baramulla districts whose fates and their workers’ fate is no different.
The quarrying in Athwajan was banned by the Government in 2016 under Government order 202/IND of 2016 dated 24-11-2016. But as part of the rehabilitation plan the quarry holders were promised another quarry at Aripora in Zewan area of Srinagar.
Under the plan 138 quarry holders are to be rehabilitated but so far they were not handed over the quarry as the Forest Department has fenced part of the hill and not allowed the quarrying in the area.
“If the Government banned quarry in Athwajan, they should have first opened the Aripora quarries for them. The ban has affected 50, 000 families and for last 5 years it has affected their livelihood and they are living in extremely difficult conditions”, said Shoukat Ahmad Bhat, President United Quarry Association Athwajan.
He said that 800 tippers were ferrying the stones from these quarries in Pantha Chowk and Athwajan areas. “All of their owners had taken loans from the banks and they are unable to pay the monthly instalments”, he said.
“I appeal the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha that ban on the stone quarrying be immediately lifted so that thousands of families who were dependent for livelihood in quarrying have sigh of relief”, he said.
A Minerals Officer told Excelsior that since the construction activity in both government and private sector has halted they had suggested that at least the lifting of material that is lying in these quarries should be allowed. “However, there is no response from Government yet”, he added.
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