AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Srinagar, June 15, 2013 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, scores of tentwalas, shopkeepers and ponywalas working at Baltal staged a protest in Kangan area of Ganderbal against the new rules framed by the Amarnath Shrine Board that controls the activities related to the annual Amarnath yatra in the territory. The demonstrators raised slogans against the Shrine Board and local authorities and marched through the streets of Kangan market.
They said that the Board had adopted anti-people policy. “The new rules state that only one member from a family will be allowed to run business at Baltal and a family can erect only two tents. Besides limited people will be given permission to work,” they said.
“The Board authorities are creating hurdles for locals on one or other pretext. It seems they want to snatch livelihood of thousands of Kashmiris working at the Baltal base camp of Amarnath Shrine,” the protesters said.
The demonstrators stated that the verification documents of a number of labourers working from years at Baltal were missing from the office of Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal.
They demanded that the Board should cancel the latest notification forthwith. “If the notification is not cancelled we will take to streets and launch a full-fledged agitation against the Board,” the protesters warned.
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