Srinagar, June 25, KNT: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Ur Rehman Parra on Wednesday raised alarm over the alleged denial of traditional grazing rights to over 5,000 Scheduled Tribe (ST) families in the Dever Lolab region of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
In a public appeal on social media, Parra stated that despite the extension of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to Jammu and Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370, the age-old practice of tribal grazing at Trumukh and Bumas Behaks has been abruptly halted by administrative orders issued by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and Deputy Commissioner Kupwara.
Parra pointed out that these traditional rights existed long before the implementation of the FRA in J&K and accused the authorities of violating the spirit of the Act by restricting access to these highland pastures. “The practice of grazing here predates the Forest Rights Act. Blocking it undermines the purpose of extending this law to the region,” he said.
Calling the move a “grave injustice,” Parra urged Hon’ble Forest Minister Javed Rana, the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene personally and ensure the immediate restoration of the tribal community’s grazing rights. [KNT]
