The sand miners from Kakapora area of district Pulwama staged a protest against the administration for imposing restriction on sand mining for the past two months.
Scores of sand mining labourers on Monday assembled at press enclave to protest against the restrictions imposed by the government on sand mining causing a deep impact on the lives of sand miners and labourers.
“We are associated with sand mining since many years and our families are fully dependent on us. We have no other option as we are illiterate and do not have any other source of income. Due to some blue eyed elements, we are made to suffer,” said Ali Jan, one of the sand mining labourers.
He said that due to some issues between contractors and the government, our livelihood is suffering. “This decision has snatched the livelihood of dozens of people including graduates and post graduate degree holders who have no other option other than sand mining due to unemployment,” he added.
The labourers said that due to the increasing expenses, we are unable to feed our families and pay the tuition fee of our children.
“Our lives are at stake as some of us are elderly persons and cannot even afford to buy medicines for ourselves. Most of us belong to the fishermen community and we have no other option or source of income to rely upon,” they said.
“We appeal the Lieutenant Governor ManojSinha to intervene into the matter and lift the restrictions so that we don’t have to suffer any further,” they added.