The livelihoods of millions of Kashmiris, heavily reliant on apple farming in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), are under threat due to a new railway project, as reported by Al Jazeera. According to Kashmir Media Service, the construction plans, spanning approximately 190 kilometers across the picturesque Kashmir valley, including the Islamabad-Bijbehara-Pahalgam line, have caused distress among Kashmiri farmers.
Despite protests by the affected farmers like Muhammad Shafi whose 1,500-square-meter apple farm is now marked for acquisition, jeopardizing his primary source of income, the Modi regime is stick to go ahead with the plan. Apple farming is vital to Kashmir’s economy, employing nearly 3.5 million farmers and contributing significantly to the region’s GDP.
The lack of formal notices and the presence of police during land surveys have left farmers feeling powerless. Protests have erupted in areas like Shopian, with residents demanding the protection of their land and livelihoods. The looming threat of losing their orchards, passed down through generations, has ignited a sense of desperation among Kashmiri farmers.
Locals fear the loss of fertile lands and ecological damage. Raja Muzaffar Butt, a Kashmiri environmentalist, warns against the environmental impact of the railway lines, which could lead to deforestation and threaten the region’s fragile ecology. The railway projects reflect Kashmiris’ deep-seated mistrust of the government in New Delhi.Kashmiris harvest apples at an orchard on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Kashmir’s apple orchards, that provides a livelihood for nearly half the region’s 8 million people, has suffered losses because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin)
For farmers like Shafi, the railway project represents a loss of livelihood and heritage. His orchard, once a source of pride and sustenance for his family, now stands threatened by concrete poles and government plans.—KMS
