Dard Shin tribals say no to dam proposal

The tribals have constituted a committee and threatened to launch an agitation to resist their displacement. "This dam will devour our homeland where our culture has flourished for centuries. It threatens our distinct identity. We will not let ourselves be sacrificed for a developmental project that has least benefits for us," said Farida, a college student of Dawar. The tribals are likely to seek the intervention of the Supreme Court to prevent the construction of the dam.

As per the plan, the Government was to acquire 7,703 Kanals of cultivatedland, 7,869 Kanals of non-cultivated land and more than 400 Kanals of forest area. The Sub-divisional magistrate, Sopore, has already issued land acquisition notices to seven villages since January. The villages to get submerged are Badwan, Fakirpora, Wampora, Khandiyal, Mastan Khopri, Markote and Dawar.

Ashraf Sahil, director, All India Radio Kashmir, said, "This displacement will not only endanger a language and a particular ethnic community but also their homeland along with the significant archaeological treasure of their glorious past. Even the famous silk route had been via this Gurez valley. The tribe will be uprooted and annihilated and will eventually be lost in the din and chaos of their new modern houses."

According to the Managing director, Power Development Corporation, 961 families of these tribals will be displaced.