Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Nov 23: The fruit market that was approved 14 years ago to improve the trading facilities in South Kashmir’s Shopian district remained underdeveloped with growers complaining about the lack of proper facilities like water, proper road and electricity.
In order to improve the trading facilities for apple crop, which is the mainstay of the district’s economy, the Government in 2005 decided to build a state-of-the-art fruit market in Shopian and notified sprawling 4 acres of land for the purpose. However, the trading facilities in the market remain below par despite administration taking 14-long years to make it functional.
The traders said this season they were asked to operate from a new apple market at Aglar area on the outskirts of the Shopain town where basic facilities are missing. “Apart from some auction sheds, nothing is available at the market,” Ali Mohammad, a local trader said, adding that the dust arising from the unpaved surface of market is causing huge inconvenience to the traders.
The traders said the district administration has placed generators at the market to tackle electricity problems. “But they have failed to provide the water in the market. The generators can mitigate the electricity crisis to some extent,” another trader said.
The apple traders said they were promised a satellite market with parking for hundreds of trucks, office for traders, residential quarters for workers, banking facility and accommodation for outside businessmen. “None of the facilities are available in the market. After a wait of 14-long years, we got a facility where even basic facilities are absent. Facilities like electricity and drinking water in the market are unavailable”, Mushtaq Ahmad, a local grower said.
The traders said besides easing the trade, the market would have created jobs for hundreds of local youth. “The administrative apathy has wasted the whole project. This shows the attitude of the government towards the development of the horticulture sector in J&K,” Farooq Ahmad, another apple grower said, adding the market generates crores of rupees every year but sans facilities.
The Director, Planning and Marketing wing of Horticulture Department, Imamdin, told Excelsior that there are lack of facilities in the market. “The market is under construction and traders were asked to operate from it because they were unable to follow COVID-19 protocols owing to congestion in the other facility,” he said.
He, however, assured that the pending work would be completed next year. “We are expecting to receive funds under NABARD and PMDP soon and that would help us to end our liabilities and speed up pending work,” he said.
Asked about the lack of water and electricity he said: “A tube-well has been constructed and distribution channel has also been laid, but we are yet to construct a storage tank. Once that is done, the entire system would be connected,” he said.
He said: “We are planning a separate and full-fledged lighting system in the market and proposal has already been sent. This too will be completed next year.”
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