NFSA Protest Chokes Batamaloo Area

KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

Scores of residents of Batamaloo early Tuesday blocked vital link road to main Batamaloo Adda in Srinagar.

Reports reaching here said that the young boys and women folk of the area came out on roads and stalled the movement of transport on Batamaloo-Tengpora road. Hundreds of buses and other vehicles were stranded on two kilometre stretch which extends from Tengpora to Batamaloo Adda.

Buses coming from North and South Kashmir enter and leave Batamaloo Adda through this road.

The local residents were demanding roll back of National Food Security Act which was implemented in J&K since February 15.

“We are getting only 5 kgs person which has brought us on the verge of starvation,” the locals said.

Chanting anti-government slogans, the protestors said that they will again come on the roads if their demand is not met.

Since last dispensation gave its nod to implement NFSA, which was passed by Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress coalition in 2013, people across Kashmir have protested against the bill.

Under NFSA, people are entitled to 5 kgs of rice. Earlier, a family would get 35 kgs of rice in lum sum.

The blocked Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in Uri. Photo by Special Arrangement

Meanwhile, in North Kashmir’s Uri, people held strong protests against the bill and sought immediate roll back.

People in Uri and Boniyar areas came out of road against the Food Security Bill. The eye witnesses told Kashmir Life that the locals have blocked the traffic on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road.

People from Zamoor Pattan, Kalsa, Choolan, Dani Syeda, Dara Gutliya, Gingal, Dawara, Mohra, Chandanwari, Lachipora, Bijhama, Mayam have assembled in Uri and Chandanwari. “As the government has failed to roll back its order of giving ration on previous quota, we now ask it to implement their new orders of granting us 7 kgs per soul,” locals said.

The Vohra led State Administrative Council had passed orders enhancing the ration from 5 to 7 kgs per soul in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Priority Sector House Holds (PHSS) category to provide relief to a vast majority of people across the state.

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