Protest against Govt move to rehabilitate stone miners in Zewan

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 09-Mar-2017

The residents of Zewan on Thursday protested in Srinagar against the Government’s move to rehabilitate the stone miners of Panthachowk at Zewan, wherein miners will be allowed to extract rocks from the ecologically fragile hills of Zewan. A large number of locals from the Zewan area in the outskirts of Srinagar city assembled here in Press Enclave Srinagar and resented the said government move.Fayaz Ahmed Malik, Chairman Coordination Committee Zewan told CNS that there were already 50-60 quarries operational in their area and diverting more stone quarries would put the whole neighbourhood vulnerable to an environmental catastrophe.He further said the move may have drastic effects on the forest cover and Dachigam National Park which house several endangered species including indigenous stag, Hangul. “I want to ask Government if they have banned the mining at one place why are they allowing it at other. Are we not humans living here?”The protesters appealed the government to allow the quarry holders to continue their operations at Athwajan and Panthachowk areas. (CNS)