Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 24: Bemoaning over the sad end of job oriented industrial units of the past times in Jammu areas, the former Union Minister, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta has impressed upon the administration of the Governor to take care of the costly machinery and other properties, worth crores, from getting junk and squandered.
He also stressed for putting some brakes on the growing menace of narcotics and removing of distilleries and other such units from populated areas.
In a statement, Prof. Gupta recalled that during Maharaja’s times the forest products and silk were the major source of the State revenue. But unfortunately these have not only dried because of the follies and designs of the politicians but also nobody is there to take care of the machinery and other costly properties including large tracts of the valuable lands.
The most significant units which have shut down include the silk factory, willow factory, Resin Factory, Miran Sahib, Joinery Mill, Leather Factory, Kalakot Thermal Plant and others.
Prof. Gupta said that with the closure of these units thousands of workers were turned jobless.
On the contrary the new rulers granted licenses for production and sale of liquor under erroneous considerations which needed deep look as these were badly affecting the life in many ways, he added and pointed out that as many as about twenty liquor producing units have been set up. Out of these 18 are located in Jammu district alone. Some of these are located in densely populated areas causing health hazards.
In addition to Government and illicit liquor there is ever increasing smuggling of various other drugs which are finding their spread. This also needed due attention to save the younger generation from getting addicts and boozers.
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