Mining Policy pro-rich and anti-poor: Beigh

Srinagar, Oct 30: In an emotive address to the House on Thursday, legislator Javed Beigh lamented the loss of livelihoods of people due to the policy barring them from utilising the natural resources in their places of dwelling. He generously used idioms, phrases and poetry in his address, highlighting how the changes in the mining policy are in contravention of the rights of indigenous people on their resources.

"Post the New Mining Policy 2019, people have lost the right to even get a tub of sand from the stream that flows through their lawn. They cannot even use the soil in their own plots for their houses," he told the house. Beigh said that people living in the vicinity of forests have been unable to use the forest produce. "They cannot use the firewood from the trees that surrounding them, pushing them into poverty and misery," he said.

Taking a dig at the Mining Policy, he said that it was pro-rich and anti-poor. He said contractors that had been allotted the contracts for sand extraction and other minerals that abound J&K were thriving, while the poor, who existed in harmony with nature for centuries have been deprived.

There is a clear plunder of the mountains, rivers and forests, he alleged. He called upon the Minister for Forests Javed Ahmed Rana to make necessary provisions to ensure that local people do not get exploited while the forests and other natural resources are also protected.

Beigh said many development projects were in jeopardy due to the shortage of sand, boulders and other resources. "Block level work is suffering because it is not possible to arrange material with the existing policy," he said.

He ended his address saying that if crocodiles are allowed to thrive in the waters, small fish must also be allowed to live, while drawing comparison between influential contractors and local underprivileged masses.