Baramulla, Oct 1: Quarry owners, tipper drivers, laborers and contractors on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest in Baramulla, demanding the lifting of the ban on royalty payments that, according to them, has paralyzed their livelihoods.
Carrying placards and raising slogans, the protesters said that the ban has left hundreds of families without a source of income.
They appealed to the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene in the matter.
The protesters also warned of launching a hunger strike if their demands were not met.
Speaking at a joint press conference later, the representatives said they have been subjected to bureaucratic hurdles that have snatched away their means of survival. “We don’t want compensation from the government; we only demand our rights, our right to livelihood. No constitution permits taking that away,” they said.
The protesters added that decades-old engagements with laborers have been disrupted, leaving them with nothing to offer those who depended on quarrying for survival.
“We are battling for livelihood. This is not a law and order issue but a simple matter of granting permission to ferry loose material. The Chief Minister assured us earlier and we expect him to deliver on that assurance immediately,” they said.
Slamming the ruling dispensation, they accused the “dual engine government” of failing to safeguard people’s interests. “If the CM or the Ministers can’t help us, they should step down. We cannot keep expectations anymore,” they said.
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