Srinagar/June,13: Tent owners and shopkeepers on Monday staged a protest against the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in Kangan area of Ganderbal district in central Kashmir “for not allowing them to erect tents and establish shops.”
The shopkeepers and tent owners who gathered outside the office of Sub Divisional Magistrate office Kangan said that they wanted to open temporary establishments during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra at the Holy Cave and different camping sites on Baltal route.
“It is an injustice with the local people, SASB is hampering our livelihood by not allowing us to erect tents as this is our only source of income,” said a protester.
When contacted SDM Kangan Peerzada Zahoor Ahmed said ‘SASB has since last two years restricted the number of tent owners and shopkeepers desirous of establishing at Baltal and holy cave.’
He further said “We had received a huge number of applications for the same and following which draw of lots was held and only those selected were permitted to erect tents and shops”.
SDM Kangan said that it was impossible to accommodate and allow all the shopkeepers and tent owners due to space limitations
