Address Livelihood Concerns of Kashmiri People: CPI (M)

SRINAGAR: Amid heavy snowfall and biting cold, the people of Jammu & Kashmir are facing unscheduled power cut and have been pushed to the wall due to lack of rations sugar and kerosene oil.

Expressing serious concern over the “unresponsive” attitude of the administration towards the livelihood issues of the common people in the harsh winter months, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s regional committee held a day-long meeting chaired by Om Prakash Sharma, a senior party leader, in Jammu, demanding immediate measures for improving the electricity scenario and ensuring the availability of daily needs.

Addressing the meeting, Ghulam Nabi Malik, J&K state secretary of CPI(M) Malik, also pointed out the sorry plight of farmers in the state, decrying the “meagre compensation” given to them for their land acquired for ring roads in Budgam-Srinagar, Jammu and other developmental projects.

The authorities must pay suitable compensation to those whose land has been or is to be acquired, Malik said adding that landholding was the only source of income for farmers.

The compensation is being provided as per the Land Acquisition Act 1934. Since Parliament has passed the Land Acquisition Act in 2013, the compensation must be provided as per the said Act, he added.

The CPI(M) leader also pointed out that basmati and Mushk Budij (aromatic rice) crops were grown by farmers in the state but due to lack of marketing facilities, they were compelled to sell their produce at low prices. The government should provide minimum support price as per the recommendations of M.S Swaminathan commission, he added.

 The meeting, which was attended by people from across the Jammu region, also expressed the party’s deep concern over the excessive use of force on protestors in Shopian in the Valley, indiscriminate arrests of youth, detentions under the Public Safety Act (PSA ) and shifting of prisoners to outside Kashmir jails.

The party demanded immediate intervention from the Governor to direct the concerned authorities to desist from using “excessive force, indiscriminate arrests and harassment.”