After the Jammu and Kashmir administration allotted land to CRPF in 8 places in Kashmir, residents of Oukhoo village of Kakapora, Pulwama staged a protest against the order and demanded that the order be rescinded.
Residents 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.
According to the residents, the administration had identified about 100 kanals of land in the area for the purpose of it being transferred to the paramilitary.
Residents 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 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 people will die of starvation.
Locals said that the government must revoke the order immediately or they will be forced to come on roads.
Meanwhile, the local panchayat committee has also sought a review of the decision and demanded its withdrawal.
Ghulam Hassan Pandit, Rubina Akhtar and Ghulam Mohidin of the local panchayat committee also joined the protest and expressed their feelings and appealed to the central and UT administration to withdraw the decision.
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.