Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 17: A group of fruit growers today accused a cold store in Rangrethe area of Srinagar of gross negligence after hundreds of plum crates stored at the facility were found severely damaged, leading to significant financial losses.
The growers said the incident occurred on July 16 at around 10 a.m., when the farmers arrived to inspect their stored produce and discovered that all the crates had been ruined. “We spent months growing these plums. Each crate cost us around Rs 3,800 including labour, transport and packaging. Now everything is gone – it is a complete disaster for us,” farmers said in a statement.
They alleged the damage was due to poor handling and negligence by the cold store management. They said that when they approached the facility’s owner for compensation, they were met with hostility. “He told us, ‘Do whatever you want.’ It was not just negligence, it was humiliation,” growers said.
The farmers urged authorities to investigate the matter, take legal action against the owner, and ensure fair compensation. “We trust the administration will help us get justice,” the statement stated.
Responding to the allegations, Basharat Ahmad of the facility said the quality deterioration was due to improper harvesting practices. “They harvested the fruit at high temperatures – around 37 to 38 degrees celsius – which affected the colour. We maintained proper cooling inside the store,” he said.
He added that the growers had signed an agreement stating the store was not responsible for quality issues. “We are trying to resolve this amicably, but they are being unreasonable,” he said.
Ahmad also denied any lapse in maintaining cold conditions. “We told them to check our cooling records. The police visited, examined the fruit, and found no issue on our part,” he said. He added, “We did our job honestly. There is no fault from our side.”
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