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Any attempt to extend Tosa Maidain lease unacceptable: Mirwaiz
Published on
Friday, 4 April 2014
8:38 pm
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‘Army in possession of 3000 acres of meadow, 6500 kanals
of forest land in Tosa Maidan’
Srinagar: Chairman Hurriyat Conference
(M) Mirwaiz Dr. Molvi Mohammad Umar Farooq has said that Jammu and
Kashmir has become an area with the highest concentration of Armed forces in
the world and India instead of decreasing its army establishment it is
increasing on one excuse or the other in order to prolong its forced occupation
of this land.
Addressing a huge gathering at Srinagar’s Historic Jamia
Masjid before Friday prayers, Mirwaiz said that any attempt to extend
the lease of Tosa Maidan land to Army will be unacceptable. Mirwaiz said that
India is trying to legitimize its huge army presence here and the people claiming
to be the elected representatives are actively acting as helpers of Indian
establishment in accomplishing their plans. He said in Tosa Maidan area
army besides occupying three thousand acres (3000) of meadow
has in its possession six thousand five hundered (6500) kanals of forest
land the lease period for which is expiring this April.
Mirwaiz said that according to general estimates seventy
one thousand five hundred (71500) acres of land are under Army possession and
in addition to that agricultural land including land used for horticulture in
different areas and even the land at world famous tourist spots like Gulmarg,
Tangmarg, Pahalgam, Soamarg etc. has been occupied by the Army and turned into
army camps and mini cantonments. In Gulmarg alone one hundred eighty (180)
acres of land has been illegally occupied by the army. Mirwaiz said that by
bringing the land in these areas under the army use the importance of
these tourist destinations is intentionally being reduced besides destroying the
forest cover and affecting the fragile eco system of these areas. Turing these
areas into firing ranges has made the lives of the people living there
miserable and vulnerable. In Tosa Maidan area alone sixty seven (67) innocent
people have so far got killed and many injured,due to the firing
related exercises by the army and unexploded shells lying around in the area
Mirwaiz said that on the one hand the state government is
talking about boosting tourism in Kashmir and on the other it is planning to hand
over large chunks of land at prominent tourist spots to Army thus
destroying the historical and tourist importance of these places.
Mirwaiz said the way armys presence and writ is
increasing in the valley that day is not far when the people of Jammu and
Kashmir may require a permission from the army to visit their own
tourist spots.
While fully supporting the demand of local population for
not extending the lease of Tosa Maidan land to army Mirwaiz said such a
step would be unacceptable and greatly resisted by the
people.
Mirwaiz appealed to the United Nations and
International community to intervene and stop the vandalization of our
land and other resources by the army and use its influence for demilitarization
of the area.He reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is a political issue involving
the sentiments and aspirations of the people and no amount of military might
can suppress it. On this occasion a collective prayer led by Mirwaiz for
the improvement in the prevailing unfavouralbe weather conditions in Kashmir
was also offered in the Jamia. (KNS)
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