Anantnag, Dec 21: “The government should consult and deliberate with the people before making decisions and must avoid taking fertile agricultural land, home to apple and walnut trees as it is unjustified,” Iltija Mufti, Media Advisor to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti, said on Saturday.
Iltija, speaking to media persons at Liver, Pahalgam, mentioned the proposed railway line from Bijbehara to Pahalgam, saying the environment and ecology in J&K are fragile. “If you (government) disrupt it in the name of development, we don’t accept that,” she said.
During her visit to Liver, a village between Anantnag and Pahalgam, Mufti said people are not against progress but oppose development at the cost of their livelihood. “Here, the losses outweigh the gains,” she said.
Standing in a spot with forests behind and orchards in front, she said that people here rely on horticulture—walnut and apple trees—for their livelihood. “They’ve taken huge loans to grow these trees. If government take away their livelihood, where will they go? What will they do? Unemployment in J&K is already rampant,” she said.
Drawing comparisons, Iltija said, “The BJP government has a bad track record in Uttarakhand, where railway development came at the cost of the environment. In J&K, where the ecology is fragile, we reject the proposed railway line through Liver village. We are here to protest against it.”
The PDP leader criticised the government for not consulting or deliberating with locals. “Fertile land with apple and walnut trees is being taken. It’s ill-timed, unwarranted, and cruel. This is not development but torture,” she said, adding that the locals oppose the railway line through their agricultural land.
On ration card cancellations and power issues, she said the new government promised 10 kgs of free flour and rice every month. “Instead, they cancelled at least 1.5 lakh ration cards, affecting countless families. If you can’t give people anything, don’t take away what they have,” she added.
On the electricity issues, Mufti said, “Today is the first day of Chillai Kalaan. Is there electricity? You promised 200 units but are curtailing power instead. There’s no water, no electricity, and now no ration. With such a big mandate and promises, this is unjust.”
