SRINAGAR: Locals from Fakir Gujri Harwan Dara area in the outskirts of Srinagar city Saturday staged a protest alleging that Department of Tourism has been trying to grab the pasture land in the area. “There is State land comprising 1600 kanals that are being used by locals of over 14 villages to rear the cattle. It is a pasture land on which hundreds of families are dependent. Now Tourism Department wants to deprive us from our livelihood,” the locals who assembled here in Press Enclave Srinagar said.
The protesters were from different villages including Fakir Gujri, Astan Marag, Saidpora, Astan Mohalla, Nagabal, Chek Dara. The protesters said they rear their cattle which is the source of income for them in this pasture land. “We will die of starvation, if Tourism Department will grab the land,” they said and sought intervention of Tourism Minister Tasaduq Mufti.