Handwara, Feb 23: Days after the authorities imposed a complete ban on illegal extraction of sand and bajri from Nallah Mawer, scores of Tipper owners of Langate villages in north Kashmir's Handwara town staged a protest demanding legalization (auction) of the said Nallah.

According to reports, scores of Tipper owners assembled at Tehsil headquarters Langate and staged protests demanding legalization of the Nallah Mawer.

“After the auction, the illegal extraction will be stopped permanently,” they said. 

The authorities imposed a strict ban on dredging of illegal sand and bajri from Nallah Mawer after a 16-year-old died in a tragic accident in the Nallah, after a Tripper he was travelling in fell into a deep pit causing his death and injuries to another person.

Mohsin Ahmad, a protester said, “We have taken loans from the banks to start our business, but the recent ban on extraction of sand and bajri has caused our business to suffer.”  

Another protestor said that everyone is aware that it is JCBs who are to be blamed. “We the tipper owners are not damaging the Nallah,” he said. 

 The protestor said that more than 10000 people are solely dependent on the nallah Mawer and their livelihood has been affected due to the ban. 

“We are not asking authorities to allow JCBs. We are requesting them to allow us to ferry the construction material,” they said. 

Earlier, the people living on the bank of the Nallah Mawer urged authorities to complete the ban on illegal extraction of sand and bajri from Nallah Mawer as the water level in the Nallah had been reduced, causing water scarcity to the area. 

The people had blamed the ‘continuous dredging of Nallah’ as the reason and said that the Nallah has become a death trap due to frequent accidents. 

 Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Imam Din who is also chairman of the District Task Force Committee (DTFCC) told Rising Kashmir that the administration won’t allow illegal extraction in Nallah Mawer and strict action will be taken against the involved persons.

 Din said it is a High Court order to impose a strict ban on the extraction.

We are strictly implementing the High Court order and no one will be allowed to for the illegal activity,” he said. 

 He, however, said a meeting with other departments in this regard is going on.