Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 27: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today reiterated his demand for revision of Geology and Mining policy that has severely affected the livelihood of lakhs of families besides halting private and the public developmental works across Jammu and Kashmir.
Briefing the media persons about the protest programmes launched by the Apni Party across J&K, Bukhari appealed the Lt Governor led Government to roll back the existing Geology and Mining policy so as to safeguard the easementary rights of natives on their natural resources.
The press conference was attended by party vice president Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, general secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir and provincial president Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir. “The livelihood of around five lakh local families who since ages have been affiliated with the extraction, supplies, transportation and construction businesses have been severely affected by the present anti-people geology and mining policy,” Bukhari remarked.
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He said that instead of taking people friendly measures, the present dispensation in J&K seems content in aggravating the miseries of the general public for unknown reasons. “It is ironic that the Government is boasting about the meager royalty fetched in lieu of minor-mineral resources and on the other it is paying through its nose in procurement of construction material required for its developmental projects!” he remarked.
Bukhari said that raw material extraction contract order issued post August 5, 2019 has adversely affected the mining business in J&K. “We will continue to raise the public interest issues, without bothering for the consequences. Right now the administration seems unmoved but I assure all the stakeholders in the geology and mining sector that Apni Party will always struggle for their rights and take it to its logical conclusion,” he added.
Pertinently, the district units of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party on Saturday held peaceful protest demonstrations against this policy at various places across J&K.
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