Tipper, tractor drivers’ protest continues for 4th day in Bandipora

Bandipora, June 11: The silent protest of Tipper, Tractor Association of Bandipora continued for the fourth day Friday in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

The owners of vehicles dealing with sand and gravel in Bandipora district are protesting since Tuesday against what they term as “cumbersome government procedures to streamline royalty”.

   

The protesting drivers who are camping near Ranger-Khan in the district headquarters said that many vehicles were being seized on the pretext of operating illegally.

The talks with the administration on Thursday did not bear fruit, they said while continuing their protest for the fourth day.

The drivers said that they were living in a constant fear of being caught by the Police and other departments for operating illegally.

They blamed the department for all the chaos.

One of the drivers said that with lockdown and no work, they were unable to pay off loans on their vehicles and their families were forced to starve.

“We are not able to feed our families. We are not able to pay power and water bills,” they said.

The drivers said that the Geology and Mining department had created a chaos in a bid to “streamline the royalty” of sand and gravel.

They said that due to this, not only were the drivers suffering but the people at large were being forced to buy the material at exorbitant rates.

They have requested the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to redress their grievances.

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