Growers, traders protest; demand priority passage
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Nov 9: The fruit growers and traders today alleged that the authorities were impeding the smooth passage of fruit-laden trucks moving out of the Valley to outside markets along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
In this regard, scores of traders and fruit growers protested across 13 major mandis in the Valley and demanded that the fruits laden trucks are given a smooth passage and are allowed to move on a priority basis.
In Srinagar, Kashmir Valley Fruit Grower-Cum-Dealers Union staged a protest and said that due to impeded movement of the trucks along the National Highway, the goods fail to reach the markets in time. Click here to watch video
Bashir Ahmad Bashir President of the Union told Excelsior that the trucks are being repeatedly stopped on both the ways and if they fail to deliver goods ahead of major occasions, the fraternity is set to face huge losses.
“They repeatedly stop the vehicles and ahead of Diwali and Chat Puja if the goods will not reach on time we will face huge losses because of it,” he said.
He said that local buyers, as well as the buyers that come from outside, are facing immense hardships due to the inaction of the administration.
He also said that the fruit-laden trucks are stopped at various spots like Qazigund, Levdara near Jawahar Tunnel including several other places for days together due to which the quality of the goods that are sent outside deteriorates.
“Not only are the trucks leaving Valley stopped, those coming to Kashmir, laden with vegetables and other goods, are also stopped near Udhampur,” he said.
The protest on the issue was held across all the major fruits mandis operating in Kashmir Valley.
Meanwhile, the fruit growers in north Kashmir’s Apple Town Sopore also staged a protest on the same issue and demanded smooth movement of fruit-laden tricks along Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
They also alleged that the authorities are unnecessarily stopping fruit-laden trucks on the Srinagar-Jammu highway which is adding to the miseries of the already hit horticulture sector.
The traders warned that if the authorities fail in taking measures in making sure that the vehicles are allowed to ply on the NH smoothly, they will be forced to suspend the entire trade at the mandi which is considered as Asia’s second-largest mandi.
Sopore Fruit Mandi president, Fayaz Ahamd Malik said that the authorities are turning a blind eye towards the sufferings of the people associated with the trade.
The authorities know how much this sector has suffered, but they are hardly bothered to take steps aimed at the betterment of the sector, he added.
“We will be forced to suspend the trade at the Mandi in case law enforcement agencies continued to stop fruit and vegetable-laden trucks on the national highway,” he warned.
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