Srinagar: Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday opposed the proposed takeover of a playground in Gulzarpora Rawalpora for the construction of a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), asserting that the land would be defended “at any cost”.
The Apni Party president visited the site along with party leaders and expressed solidarity with local residents protesting the government’s move to acquire the land, which is currently being used as a playground by local youth.
“We will not let this happen. This land belongs to our youth, and we will defend it at any cost,” Bukhari told reporters.
He alleged that playgrounds in the Chanapora area were repeatedly being targeted for other projects and said such moves deprive youth of recreational spaces.
“I do not understand why it is always this constituency where the administration tries to take over playgrounds, leaving the young population vulnerable to drugs and other negative activities,” he said.
Bukhari also indicated that the issue could be taken up legally. He claimed that the 24 kanal and 12 marla land proposed for the STP is not government land but falls under ‘Shamilat Deh’, which, under revenue laws is meant for common use by the village.
He said this gives residents a legal right to oppose the acquisition and reiterated that the party would support them in safeguarding the land.
Several Apni Party leaders, including Farooq Andrabi, Mohammad Ashraf Dar and Bilal Ahmad Bhat, accompanied Bukhari during the visit.
