Bandipora: Government imposing a ban on extraction of sand from Madhumati river and other allied rivulets at Kaloosa and Nathpora villages in this north Kashmir district has rendered thousands of people jobless.
 Thousands of workers in this district, locals said, would eke out their living through extraction of sand from the rivers and streams. “That was the only activity we were dependent on. The ban has broken our back,” affected workers said.
 The concerned department is claiming that sand extraction affects hatching tout fish, however the laborers rejected the official claim saying, “The ban has been enforced to keep some politicians happy.”  
 “It is unfortunate officers in Fisheries department are dancing on the tunes of a few political workers of local leaders,” labourers alleged.
 They said that officers in the recent past on several occasions had lifted the ban but due to the pressure from local politicians the ban was re-imposed. 
 “We have nothing to do with politics. We used to feed our families by extracting sand and we were no threat to trout farming,” they said.
 They appealed Chief Minister to intervene to get the ban lifted.
 Talking to Greater Kashmir Director Fisheries Kashmir Showket Ahmed said: “There is misunderstanding in the system, we are following the Fisheries Act and within few days ban would be lifted in the areas where trout potential is low.”

Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 9 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST