Srinagar | May 25, 2016: Members of Stone Crushers Association (SCA) staged a protest demonstration here on Wednesday to press for their demand of immediate lifting of a ban on mining, which, as per them, has rendered thousands of people jobless in Jammu and Kashmir.
The protestors, who had come from different parts of the state including Jammu province, staged the protest demonstration at Press Enclave here. They shouted slogans in favour of their demands, and urged government to lift the ban immediately.
“We demand the revocation of new order which has rendered thousands of us jobless from past couple of months,” they said.
They said that an order (SRO-105) was issued on March 31 by Governor’s administration imposing a blanket ban on any sort of mining in the state.
“The order has not only brought the stone crusher industry to a standstill, but has razed to ground entire associated businesses, particularly construction. Also rendered thousands of us jobless” they said.
Nissar Ahmad Qamrazi, Convenor J&K Construction Workers’ Union said that their community was always supportive of government measures aimed at safeguarding environment. “But such measures should be in balance and consonance with nature,” he said.
“On one side government is talking about generating livelihood and new job policies and skill development, but at the same time it is rendering lakes of peoples jobless,” he added. The protestors requested Chief Minister to personally intervene into the matter.
(Source: http://kashmirreader.com/)