Miscreants damage apple bearing orchard in Pulwana
Pulwama: On Tuesday morning, a family from Puchhal area of Pulwama district woke up to learn that their apple trees in their orchard have been cut off.
The victim has been identified as Abdul Gani Mir son of Abdul Gaffar Mir resident of Puchal, who is the local numberdar.
Worried family rushed to the spot to find around 30 apple bearing trees have been damaged by using a sharp edged object probably an axe, reports said.
“We have been investing a lot on it and putting the best of our efforts expecting better returns in the future. But all our hopes stand dashed,” Abdul Gani said.
“We don’t know who did this and why, he said, adding that we just know that he was with excise department in his village to destroy poppy cultivated in the area and it seems it is mischief of elements involved in drug peddling,” Mir added.
The owner said it will take him another 10-15 years to develop his orchard.
“We were putting in all our efforts to turn our orchard as a revenue generator for the family, but those dreams have come down crashing,” he added.
“A tree is like a child. Imagine you love and nourish a child and when he reaches an age where he can help you, someone comes and kills him. For the past 10-15 years, we had been growing them: fertilizing, watering them and doing labour. They were giving apples already. Now, we have to wait for 10-15 years again,” Gani added.
He along with other family members and locals demanded that matter must be investigated and action must be taken against the culprits besides compensation to the effected families.
A police official said they have registered a case and launched investigations.
Meanwhile, officials of the horticulture department also visited the spot to access the damage and help the affected family accordingly.
Jahangeer Ganaie
