Baramulla, May 13: Residents of Salamabad Uri here in north Kashmir have been staging protests for the past 34-days against NHPC not giving due share of employment to locals.   
 The NHPC, according to the locals, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 
 with the state government to employ locals as class-III and class-IV employees. “However, the NHPC has failed to honour the MoU,” protesters alleged.    
 Locals have erected a tent near the project where scores of people are registering their protest on daily basis. "We are not against the project but want our due share in appointments. We won't allow the NHPC authorities to resume the work unless our demands are met," protesters said. 
 The work on the Uri-II project was badly hit after a youth was killed in the firing of CISF Personnel deployed at the NHPC Office at Boniyar, a few months back. Soon after the incident scores of people went on an indefinite agitation which led to the suspension of work on the Uri-II power project.
 “We have given our precious land to the NHPC from which they will earn crores. In return we expect jobs,” protesters said. "For us it is not an agitation but a struggle to safeguard the future of our youth and we will never back track from this struggle till our legitimate demands are fulfilled."

Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 IST