Save Yusmarg Movement (SYM) on Tuesday resented the Government’s proposal to lease out Bajipathru near Yusmarg to Army for firing range saying it will be detrimental to fragile environment and tourism potential.
In a statement, Convenor SYM Asim Assadi said: “We condemn any such move that will pave way for throwing the environmentally fragile area in Yusmarg open to plunder by military and we will resist the move by all peaceful means.”
“In the light of surveys ordered by the state government about the consequences of having an artillery firing range in Yusmarg, the government’s decision to expeditiously examine proposal of the Army comes as a shock for people.”
“Six water supply schemes on Doodhganga and Romshi streams are located in the area which is a source of drinking water for Pulwama, Shopian, Budgam and major part of Srinagar city. The move to shift the firing range will wash hazardous chemicals into these streams which will have serious consequences on the health of hundreds of thousands of people who rely on drinking water from these schemes,” he said.
“The ill-planned move will also inflict unimaginable and irreparable cost on the fragile environment of Yusmarg in the form of deforestation, pollution to water bodies, besides human intrusion into the forests which has already resulted in increasing man-animal conflicts in the area.”
“The move will not also uproot thousands of poor people from their traditional lands, thereby pushing them further into the state of impoverishment, but it will also bring down curtains on the development of Yusmarg as a tourist destination, as claimed by the state government,” he said.
“Hundreds of Gujjars and Bakarwals who use these meadows as grazing land for their livestock will be deprived of their source of sustenance by opening the artillery firing range. We would be holding a meeting on Friday with various stakeholders in Chrar-i-Sharief to formulate the future course of action,” the statement added.
