Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 4: Scores of owners of Pharmacies operating near the SKIMS, Medical College and Hospital in Bemina today protested against the favouritism of the hospital authorities who have allowed one particular Pharmacy to operate within the hospital premises.
The shopkeepers under the banner of Medical Market Association SKIMS, Bemina, appeared in Pratap Park, Press Enclave and raised slogans in favour of their demands while urging the authorities to look into the matter.
“With the particular shop operating within the premises, the same has affected our business and with us, our families are also suffering; the shop which was given to him on lease has not been auctioned since 2005 while we suffer,” said one of the protestors who identified himself as Rafiq Ahmad.
The protestors said that everyone has a right to do business and the authorities cannot allow a monopoly in this regard by allowing their favourite to have it all and let others suffer for no fault of theirs.
“We demand that the shop operating within the premises must be vacated and if that will not happen, then we should also be allowed to operate within the premises; we have checked the lease documents of that shop, and the same has expired long back,” the protestors said.
The aggrieved shopkeepers said that they have already met with the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar in this regard and have apprised him about the matter, but nothing has changed on the ground. “We urge the authorities to take note of the matter and save us as well as our families the sufferings.”
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