The affected residents, whose land was acquired by the government for upgrading the two-lane Jammu Srinagar highway into four-lane at Chambalwass, held a demonstration against the contractor and sub-contractor companies for allegedly not fulfilling the promises they made.
Scores of land owners of Chambalwass and its adjoining areasassembled on the Jammu-Srinagar highway and staged a protest. They raisedslogans against the contractor and sub-contractor companies and demanded”justice”.
They alleged, “The promises made by the contractor companiesof providing employment to the families of affected land donors have not beenkept. While we face the brunt of unplanned and random earth cutting andexcavation and as flying dust has damaged our standing crops, our educatedyouth remain unemployed.”
The protesters said that resentment is brewing among thelocal populace as the youth remain unemployed. “The administration has yet notrecognized the role of the local affected people and has failed to come up witha policy to engage our youth,” they maintained.
Later, a police team, led by deputy superintendent ofpolice, Banihal, Sajad Sarwar, visited the spot and pacified the protesters,assuring them that he will take the matter up with the concerned higherauthorities. On this assurance, the protest was called off.