Srinagar, Aug 17: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday said that converting the track leading to the Amarnath Cave into a permanent road would lead to environmental imbalance in the area.
Addressing a Friday congregation at historic Jamia Masjid in old city here, Mirwaiz said, “If construction of the road is taken up in the area it would lead to felling of lakhs of lush green trees.”
“Every year Yatris turn up in large numbers to visit their holy places in Kashmir. Not only we welcome them but we play good hosts and keep every facility at their disposal. But, now some parties are knocking at the door of Supreme Court for construction of the macadamized roads to Amarnath cave and also building other infrastructure in the area. The macadamisation of the route up to the cave would also increase pollution in the area resulting in melting of glaciers. Such a situation would trigger an ecological disaster in this environmentally sensitive region,” Mirwaiz said, adding; “Supreme Court should keep in view the environmental aspect of any such move.”
He accused government of taking “shield under judiciary on the issues which it fears will meet with public resistance”.
Without naming Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Mirwaiz said; “When we talk of an end to reign of oppression and revocation of draconian laws, then the so-called executives say that the situation is not conducive”.
“The so-called representatives are also involved in massacring Kashmiris,” Mirwaiz said. “We want to tell Government of India that there would be no normalcy and end to bloodshed, suppression and atrocities in Kashmir until Kashmir dispute is resolved in consonance with the sentiments and aspirations of people,” he said.
Accusing government of resorting to oppressive tactics to weaken and suppress the ongoing movement, Mirwaiz said: “They are trying to portray our struggle as communal and sectarian and it is duty of everybody to foil their nefarious designs.”
Mirwaiz said the struggle of Kashmiris is based on truth. “And we are fighting for the past 65 years for our legitimate rights.” “Government has been trying to crush the ongoing movement by resorting to killings, harassment, arrests and curfews. We won’t let the blood of martyrs go waste. On this day, we resolve and vow to carry on the movement to its logical conclusion,” Mirwaiz said.
On the occasion, Jamia Masjid reverberated with pro-freedom slogans with Mirwaiz himself raising slogans repeatedly. Delving about Arab Spring, Hurriyat (M) chairman said that what world had witnessed during 2010 proves that power of rulers is helpless before people’s power.
On the occasion, thousands of people who had converged from different parts of the Valley passed the six-point resolution read by Mirwaiz.
The resolution talks about intervention of international community in ending occupation of Al-Aqsa Masjid by Zionists; Involvement of Kashmiris in talks; end to human rights violations; release of detainees before Eid-ul-Fitr; tracing disappeared persons and bringing to fore truth about unmarked graves; solidarity with Muslims of Burma and Assam and appeal to the United Nations for discharging its responsibilities vis-a-vis both issues.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 18 Aug 2012 00:00:00 IST