Pulwama: The residents of Oukhoo village of Kakapora hamlet in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district staged a protest against the transfer of land to CRPF and demanded revocation of the order on humanitarian ground.
Locals on Saturday assembled on the same land which has been allotted to CRPF recently and chanted slogans in favour of justice and revocation of the order.
Locals while talking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that they don’t have any alternative land apart from which has been transferred to CRPF and the government must reconsider their decision on humanitarian ground.
“This is land has been under our control for decades, even before we were born, if this land will be given to CRPF, where will we people go as our livelihood depends on it,” an elderly man said.
He said that this is the most fertile land of the area as it grows two crops per year- mustard and paddy- but if it will be given to CRPF they will die of starvation.
Locals said that the government must revoke the order immediately or they will be forced to come on roads.
Meanwhile, few local leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) later rushed to the spot who assured them that they will take up their issue with the government and press them to revoke the decision after which protest was called off.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration recently allotted land at eight places in south Kashmir to the CRPF to build permanent camps for personnel and their families, triggering fears among the general public.
The administrative council chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had approved the transfer of 524 kanals or 65 acres in favour of the CRPF in Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian for establishing “battalion camping sites”.
Officials said that this will provide for safe and proper accommodation for CRPF personnel and their families
They said the permanent camps would be set up in the villages of Brah, Jummo and Bhanpahari in Anantnag; Allowpora-Sheikhpora and Zawoora-Baderhama in Shopian; and Oukhoo, Kadlabal and Koil in Pulwama—(KNO)
