Ganderbal, Apr 16: Raising anti-administration slogans the residents of Zaznah, Badampora, Ahan, Batwina, Kurhama and adjoining villages Thursday blocked the Srinagar-Leh Highway at Zaznah halting vehicular traffic for several hours. The residents were demanding release of compensation on account of land the authorities had acquired from them for Highway widening in Zaznah in 2008.
 The protesters said they had yet to receive the compensation money though their landed properties had been acquired for widening the Srinagar-Leh Highway in 2008.
  “Our repeated requests to the Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal bore no fruit and now we are left with no option but to take to roads,” they said adding they would intensify their protests if the district administration failed to release the compensation money.
 The protestors were later pacified by Tehsildar Lar who assured them of taking up the issue with the authorities concerned.When contacted Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Ganderbal Muneer-ul-Islam said the farmers had received 80 per cent of the compensation while 20 per cent still remained unpaid. “The Beacon authorities have several times been asked in writing to deposit the remaining amount i.e. 20 per cent with the district collector,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST