Date | March 03, 2017:

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Despite ban on quarrying at Pantha Chowk and its adjoining areas here, the activity has been restarted evoking resentment among the locals.

The locals said people associated with quarrying blast mountain during night in Pantha Chowk and Athwajan to extract stones. “We could not sleep from past three nights as stones rolled down towards our houses from the mountain. This has endangered our lives. A disaster can happen in our area if the quarrying is not stopped immediately,” said Abdul Qayoom Bhat, a local.

On December 1, last year Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered immediate banning of mining activities at Athwajan and Pantha Chowk quarries, terming stone extraction at these sites as “ecologically dangerous and harmful for the local populace”.

However, the locals said the order was implemented on ground for only few days.

“Government had assured quarry owners that they would be rehabilitated at some other suitable place. We fear that can be loss of life and property before authorities implement the ban in letter and spirit,” they said.

Quarry holders and workers maintain that the government directive is going to affect the livelihood of hundreds of people associated with quarrying.

However, locals said that fresh blasting has added to their woes. “We also have right to life and need safety. How can authorities watch the violation of its order and wait for any loss of human lives to realize that ban is yet to be implemented,” they said.

The locals also showed the copies of representations they had submitted to district and divisional administration.

“At the quarry sites both at Athwajan and Pantha Chowk the whole rock mass is highly jointed and fractured, the slopes are more than 85 degree or even at places near verticals. It has also been observed that alarming cutting height of 20 to 100 degree above ground level has made this quarry belt highly dangerous because of the slope and height crossing the permissible limits,” official documents state.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Lone said he would look into the matter. “The orders are being implemented in letter and spirit. The fresh blasting cannot take place as it is totally banned there. I assure that action under law will be taken against the violators,” the DC added.

(Source: http://www.greaterkashmir.com/)