In a rare display of unity, local sand laborers and mule operators in Thathri town of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir, took to the streets on Monday, leading their mules in a protest march from Graveyard Zero Point to Main Chowk Thathri. Their demand was clear: permission to resume manual sand extraction along the riverside—a traditional livelihood halted by a recent ban on mining activities imposed by the Deputy Commissioner of Doda to prevent illegal operations.
The scene was reminiscent of historic protests like the 1968 “mule train” journey from Marks, Mississippi, which was part of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign. In that campaign, impoverished residents traveled with mules to Washington, D.C., seeking economic justice and fair treatment for the nation’s poorest communities. In Thathri, mule operators and sand laborers voiced their demand to work legally and sustainably, without interference from larger, mechanized mining operations that often dominate the landscape.
The Thathri protest was sparked by the laborers’ growing frustration after weeks of enforced idleness, which they say has deprived them of their primary income source. In this mountainous region, mule operators have long used their animals to haul sand manually from the riverside—a tradition that protesters argue has minimal environmental impact compared to the heavy machinery often employed by larger operations. The rally featured around 30-40 mules and 20-30 laborers, blocking traffic in Thathri and attracting administration’s attention.
Among those supporting the laborers is Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, founder and chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement. He emphasized that under the JK Minor Mineral Concession Rules 2016, locals have the legal right to mine manually, while the use of machinery like JCB excavators is strictly prohibited for such work. “This is an injustice,” Dr. Bhat stated, vowing to escalate the matter to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as complaints from Doda and Kishtwar districts continue to rise.
In response to the demonstration, MLA Mehraj Malik met with the protesting laborers, pledging to address their concerns and tackle the issue of “sand mafias” exploiting local resources with industrial-scale equipment. Malik assured the laborers that their right to manual sand extraction would be protected and instructed law enforcement to avoid targeting laborers engaged in legal work.
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Anzer Ayoob is the Founder and Chief Editor to The Chenab Times
