Sand extraction allotments to non locals makes locals jobless, cancel all such contracts, won’t allow it at all : Qayoom Wani tells JK Govt

Srinagar: Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JK CSF) Ab Qayoom Wani on Saturday slammed Jammu and Kashmir Government over allotment of sand extraction work to non locals to render jobless the bonafide residents of Jammu and Kashmir. He asked the government to immediately cancel such allotments and put in place measures for grant of such allotments only to the bonafide residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued here on Saturday the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society(JK CSF) Chairman Wani expressed resentment over allotment of sand extraction through bids to non-Locals. Wani expressed his serious concerns over this unacceptable policy over allotment of sand extraction . Wani said that Government is exploiting J&K’s resources and making local people jobless.
Wani alleged that since December 2019 for the first time , authorities have undertaken measures to ensure that the contracts for mineral blocks in every district of J&K are alloted to non local contractors by opening up the bidding process for them and then manipulating it in their favour. He said “now through an e-auction process hundreds of sand extraction blocks along the river Jhelum and its tributaries that used to be given to locals against a royalty to the government, have also been given to non locals”, .adding that “this process has rendered thousands of people associated with sand extraction completely jobless’. Calling it an injustice with the local youth who were already struggling with their unemployment issues, Wani said Jammu Kashmir Civil Society Forum will never allow such exploitations by the Government, saying that ” all other Leaders of the Forum have also condemned this unjustified move of the government.”