Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 24: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader and MLA Elect Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has invited Governor N N Vohra’s attention towards the plight of thousands of flood hit traders in Valley appealing him to take up issue of traders’ rehabilitation with the Union Finance Ministry on priority basis.
In a statement, the PDP leader said that the Union Government must honour the commitment made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of extending every possible help to the traders community that has been hit by the floods in Kashmir. “It is not the question of the revival of the shattered business community only but it is the question of survival of thousands of people especially the youth whose livelihood depends on the private business sector in the Valley. Delaying the compensation to flood affected traders’ community means compounding their problems by each passing day,” Bukhari stressed.
Reiterating his demand for a minimum of Rs 5 lakh interim compensation to be given to each flood affected shopkeeper, Bukhari said the huge damages caused to the State economy including business community, hotels, restaurants, carpet industry, handicrafts, papier mache, grocery, printing, agriculture and horticulture must be compensated proportionately without any delay.
Terming Sales Tax Department directive seeking stock statements from flood hit traders as extremely irrational and bereft of any logic Bukhari said that the traders have lost their shops, stocks, stores and godowns in September floods and how come it was possible that their stock statements would have survived the disaster that destroyed everything. Stressing that last date for filing of quarterly sales tax by flood hit traders across Kashmir should be deferred at least by a month, he demanded special grants proportionate to the business losses suffered by various categories of the Hotels and guest houses operating in Srinagar. The MLA Elect also invited Governor’s attention towards the permissions needed for repair and renovation of hotels presently banned by the High Court.
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