Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 8: Continuing with their protests against issuance of mining contracts to the outsider firm, scores of sand miners today held protest demonstration.
The workers alleged that the Government has put their livelihood into jeopardy as they did not participate in the tendering process earlier notified by the Government.
The miners, who assembled here in the Press Enclave, demanded an immediate revocation of the contract, which they would snatch livelihood of hundreds of people associated with the business. They alleged that the authorities excluded them from tendering process by inviting tenders.
Showkat Ahmad, one of the protestors, who is associated with sand mining said that they could not participate in the tendering process due to internet shutdown and want authorities to give opportunity to all the stakeholders to participate in the process.
“Government issued tenders in our absence. Internet was down and we were unaware about the process. The tender has been issued to outsiders. This step will snatch our livelihood,” he said, adding that his family has been manually extracting sand form the river bed for last sixty years.
The protestors said that they have time and again approached the higher-ups for the resolution of their issue, but they have been given cold shoulder. “Nobody is ready to listen to us and address our issues,” they said.
The protestors have appealed Lt. Governor, G C Murmu, to intervene in the matter and help in saving their livelihood, which they said, is at stake.
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