Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 16: National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Ruhullah Mehdi today alleged that Kashmir’s horticulture sector faces a deliberate and sustained “fight” that threatens the region’s economy and livelihoods.
Addressing reporters in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, Ruhullah said, “Look at the pattern: sometimes by selling low-standard, substandard pesticides, sometimes by importing apples from foreign markets at cheap prices, and sometimes by blocking our roads.”
He said that horticulture, agriculture, and allied sectors together contribute more than 75% to the economy and that horticulture alone contributes “seven times more than tourism.”
The MP claimed that the sector is under attack through a series of actions that harm growers and traders. He said road blockages have repeatedly hit the flow of fruit to markets. “A battle is going on with our horticulture. When the Srinagar-Jammu highway was opened, even today, traffic was allowed to come from Jammu, but our stuck trucks were not allowed to go from Srinagar to Jammu,” he said. He added that last year and earlier, trucks were “deliberately stopped on the highway” until produce “decayed.”
The MP said talks with local officials and growers have provided only limited relief. “Yesterday, there was a discussion with the administration, the association, Shabbir, the local MLA, and the Fruit Growers Association. They tried, they heard the discussion, and today, trucks are allowed to go through Mughal Road. I hope that trucks will be allowed to go through the Srinagar-Jammu Highway as soon as possible, and our fruits will be sold,” he said.
The MP also raised concerns about the use of the Public Safety Act (PSA), saying its application signals a broader threat to civil liberties. “No one is safe. Whether it is the MLA, MP, or the common Kashmiri, whoever is a resident of Kashmir and speaks for their rights is not safe,” he said.
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