Traders protest army’s ‘illegal occupation’ in Sonmarg

Kashmir traders Wednesday staged a protest against the alleged encroachment of land in and adjoining areas of tourist resort Sonmarg by Indian army.

Scores of traders from Beopar Mandal Kangan carrying banners and placards assembled outside Sub District Magistrate’s office in Central Kashmir’s Kangan and held a demonstration. The  protesters said that army has encroached upon more than 100 kanals of land at the tourist resort here.

“As people migrate to other villages due to severe cold, the Army occupies the land and claims that they have taken it on lease. This year also the same was repeated,” the protesters said.

President Beopar Mandal Kangan, Gul Muhammad Var said that though they brought the issue into the notice of higher authorities but they failed to check the army. “It is a disturbing situation for us. They (Army) refuses to acknowledge the government orders and continue to occupy the land during the dead of the night. The Army have even constructed temporary sheds on the land,” he said and appealed GOC 15 Corps to look into the matter and provide a succor to the local residents.

The protesters who marched from Rest House to SDM office threatened that if the Army continued ‘illegal possession of the land’, they will launch massive agitation.

SDM, Ghulam Ahmed Mir said that the administration will take action those who violate the norms as no one is above the law.

When contacted a senior Army official said that nowhere in the tourist resort Army has occupied any land. “We are looking into the matter and trying to know the causes what prompts people to believe that army is indulging in encroachment,” he said.

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