Locals seek immediate action against culprits

PAMPORE: Residents and cricket players of Hatiwara village of Pampore Tehsil in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district have accused sand diggers for disrupting sports activities of children by turning a playing field into a dumping site for sand.
The local residents and cricket players informed Kashmir Reader that a patch of land in Hatiwara Lethpora village of Pampore Tehsil was developed by government authorities into a playground for children of the village by spending around rupees 10 lakh recently.
They added that some sand miners who dig sand from Jhelum dump it in the play ground which has disrupted sports activities of the children of the area.
They further told Kashmir Reader that by plying vehicles has caused damage to the field extensively.
” The children used to play in the ground. Playing is as important for students and the dumping of sand has hampered children from doing physical activities” said a local youth of Hatiwara village, adding that they have nothing against sand miners.
“We only want them to shift the sand to some other place and vacate the playground for children,
We appeal the authorities to look into this issue and direct the concerned miners to vacate the playground,” the youth told Kashmir Reader.
Another youth of the village told Kashmir Reader that the ground has a small area and is used by them for practice of cricket.
“We appeal to Deputy Commissioner Pulwama to intervene into the matter and redress the grievance as soon as possible,” he said.
Tehsildar Pampore Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din told Kashmir Reader that the matter of dumping sand in a play field has been brought to his notice.
” The matter has already been taken up with the Geology and Mining department, the dumped sand at Hatiwara will be seized and it will be either auctioned or fine will be levied,” he said.

KR Desk