Chenani, Feb 18: The National Panthers Party on Saturday held a protest at Choka Nala on Mantalai road against the Govt and PHE Deptt in particular for their alleged neglect, harassment and persecution at the hands of govt functionaries.
According the a statement issued to Rising Kashmire the protesters raised slogans against Jal Shakti Deptt and BJP govt for depriving them of drinking water in the rural belt and for allegedly harassing them in the name of anti-encroachment drive.
Party spokesperson said the protest was joined by a large gathering of women, children, old and young from village Kossar, Choka Nala, Banek and adjacent localities which resulted in disruption of vehicular traffic for over three hours.
As a symbolic protest, they also torched the effigy of the govt. The dharna was called off only after the assurance of SDM Chenani and XEN PHE Udhampur for immediate redressal of the genuine concerns of the public of the area.
Speaking on the occasion, Harsh Dev cautioned the govt to refrain from harassing rural folk and from depriving them of their basic fundamental needs.
He strongly supported the demand of the public of Panchayat Kossar and adjoining bastis for utilizing the water resources of the area so as to fulfill the drinking water requirements of the people of the said areas only before diverting the water channels to other areas.
The NPP leader said that PHE Deptt’s move to supply water from Kossar and Choka Nala to Mantalai Yoga centre and other hotels, huts by depriving the local people of the native Panchayat had sparked massive outrage in the area and needed to be reviewed.
He said that massive resentment had brewed in Kossar and adjoining bastis which were reeling under drinking water scarcity but the said Deptt had chosen to oblige its political bosses by embarking upon the new water supply projects so as to favour the rich and influential by ‘robbing’ the poor indigent masses of their water resources.
The former minister said that the massive dharna joined by members of almost all households of the area should be an eye opener for the govt which needs to immediately review its decision.
He said that the available water resources at Kossar and Choka Nala should be used for supply of water to the said areas and Mantalai Yoga centre and other establishments should be supplied water from the Tawi river flowing adjacent to the said centre.
Harsh Dev Singh further cautioned the govt to refrain from evicting the poor and landless farmers from their marginal land holdings which were their only source of survival and livelihood.
