Ban on sand extraction from Wullar, Jhelum sans logic: Nizamudin Bhat
Urges Lt Governor to intervene, allow people to earn livelihood
Bandipora, March 01: Founding member of JK People’s Conference Nizamudin Bhat Thursday questioned the logic behind the ban on extraction of sand from Wullar and Jhelum.
In a statement issued to media, Bhat said the ban on extraction of sand from Jhelum and Wullar sans a logic. He said the extraction is source of sustenance to Wullar inhabitants.
Bhat said the extraction is usually done in specific areas without causing damage to eco-system of Wullar. He said, infact, the extraction process is a symbiotic act as it not only earns livelihood for the locals while extraction also leads to dredging of the lake thereby increasing the volume of the lake.
“This (sand extraction) is source of sustenance to Wullar inhabitants and is being done in specific areas without causing damage to fish production,” he added.
The PC leader said government spent about Rs 200 cr for dredging of Wullar lake. “If same thing is being done by the people living on the banks of the lake, government should promote and facilitate it,” he added.
Bhat said the government has launched crackdown on so-called illegal extraction thereby snatching the livelihood of the people. “Is government there to provide jobs or to snatch their livelihood?”
The PC leader said on one hand the poor people aren’t allowed to earn livelihood while on other hand JCBs are allowed to enter Trout habitats in several streams of Bandipora to benefit few influential people.
He urged the lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene to remove the ban on extraction so that poor people who are part of the eco-system of wullar lake are allowed to earn their livelihood.
