By Mir Showkat
Ganderbal: Contractors and labourers working in nalla sindh of Ganderbal are accusing government of wreaking havoc with their livelihood of extracting sand, bajiri and bolders.
Locals said that thousand of people earn their livelihood from this work but that was badly hit after government decided to put the work on lease and subsequently ‘contractors made the payment also who have been allotted the extraction of work.’
“Since the allotment was made in favour of the contractors, labourers protested against the allotment. We have been deprived from our basic rights because we live near the river bank,” they said.
The contractors wont hire us for the work, they said, thus leaving us with no work.
“Has government not thought as to what will happen to those thousands of households who live by this work,” villagers said.
Contractors also complain that even after getting contracts they have not been issued persmission to work in Nallah Sindh.
“No body is keen to resolve this problem,” said a contractor.
The labourers have commenced extraction work, without any permission, claiming that they can’t let their ‘families of starve’.
“Do we need governments permisson to feed our families,” they said.
District officer Geology and Mining Ganderbal Manzoor Ahmad claimed that they have organized many teams who will recover the money by challan from the tippers and tractors used in carrying these minerals illegally to the other parts of the district.
“We have not received any release of order in favour of the labourers,” Ahmad said.
