Jammu, Aug 5: Expressing concern over preference to “non-local labourers over locals”, the National Panthers Party (NPP) on Friday warned against the exploitation of poor people who have contributed major part of their land holding for the construction of Railway projects and hydro power projects in Chenani and Ramban tehsils was unacceptable.
 Seeking immediate intervention of the government, it rapped the companies engaged in railway and hydro power projects for importing labourers from outside Jammu and Kashmir and demanded due share to the people of affected villages.
 Interacting with the several deputations of villagers, NPP working chairman and MLA Harsh Dev Singh condemned the government for its “utter neglect and deprivation” of the people of Chenani and Ramban tehsils.
 “Poor and innocent villagers of these areas had not only been deprived of their due and legitimate compensation, but they had also been declined their due share in employment avenues generated on their lands,” Singh said.
 Advocating the claims of local youth for absorption in the billion-dollar projects launched in the area by outside corporate houses, he called upon the government to immediately intervene so as to ensure justice to the aggrieved villages.
 “Earlier the lands were acquired for Baghliar project and natural resources of the villages of Ramban were exploited without conferring any corresponding benefit to the local people. The localities were ignored in all sectors including employment and they were under persistent threats and perpetual hazards associated with the project,” he maintained. The NPP leader also blamed that one per cent free electricity which was agreed to be given by the Baghliar Project to the local population was also denied.
 He sought fulfillment of all agreements and due compensation and involvement of the people of affected villages before the launch of second phase of Baghliar project.
 He called upon the concerned Deputy Commissioners to intervene so as to effectively monitor and regulate the functioning of these projects and ensure justice to the aggrieved people.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 6 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST