Amarnath land transfer controversy

On 26 May, 2008, the Government of India and state government of Jammu and Kashmir reached an agreement to transfer convert|100|acre|km2 of forest land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) out of the total land area of convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on in the main Kashmir valley [http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=451819&sid=NAT] to set up temporary shelters and facilities for the Hindu pilgrims. This caused a controversy, with demonstrations from the Kashmir valley against the land transfer and protests from the Jammu region supporting it.

Kashmir protests

Six people were killed and 100 injured when police fired into a crowd in Srinagar protesting the transfer of forest land. [cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=5492bdcc-eeb4-4374-b1e8-1245ffa50458&ParentID=04ff6b34-348b-4d08-b41b-e6e5713706ac&&Headline=Kashmiri+Pandits+seek+PM's+intervention|title=Amarnath row: Kashmiri Pandits seek PM's intervention|publisher=Press Trust of India|date=2008-06-25|accessdate=2008-06-25] Separatist JKLF (R) organized a march to the controversial land in Baltal. The death of a JKLF(R) activist in a fire opened [ http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=24_6_2008&ItemID=26&cat=21] by the Security Forces became the flash point for protests in the Kashmir valley region. Senior separatist leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), which planned the protests, were placed under house arrest. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Shutdown_in_Kashmir_separatist_leaders_under_house_arrest/articleshow/3341886.cms] [cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Land_allotment_Violence_in_Srinagar/articleshow/3156807.cms|title=Violence in Srinagar over land allotment to Amarnath board|publisher=Times of India|date=2008-06-25|accessdate=2008-06-25] Throughout the Srinigar area, most public buildings, including schools and government offices, and many businesses, have remained closed. [cite news|last=Gilani|first=Iftikhar|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C06%5C26%5Cstory_26-6-2008_pg1_7|title=Hindu-Muslim clashes escalate in IHK|publisher=Daily Times|date=2008-06-26|accessdate=2008-06-26]

Environmental concerns

Initial opposition to the land transfer was based on environmental concerns. Some environmentalists argued that the land transfer would hamper the region's delicate ecological balance. However, hundreds of acres of forested land were destroyed for the construction of a road linking Poonch to Rajouri. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/File_Controversy_over_Amarnath_land_allotment_poll_gimmick/articleshow/3173849.cms]

Reports that the SASB was planning to construct dams across the river Indus to generate electricity for the shrine were unconfirmed. [Gilani, Iftikhar. [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008