Government of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2005, decided to build a fruit mandi on modern lines equipped with all required facilities in South Kashmir’s Shopian district. For this purpose, an area of 4 acres of land was notified. Can there be any parallel anywhere in respect of the quantum of time required, as in the instant case, to make it functional as 14 long years are felt to be too short for it. In short, the said fruit market continues to remain underdeveloped due to which, the apple growers in particular, continue to face hardships and difficulties.
Basic facilities of road, electricity and water are in total disarray. Even after being asked to operate from a makeshift arrangement this year at Aglar area, the fruit traders allege that there too, basic facilities were missing. Excepting some ”auction sheds”, nothing is provided in that market too. To add to their woes, clouds of dust keep rising as a result of unpaved surface of the market causing inconvenience of great magnitude besides layers of dust settling on the fruit in the open. The promise by the Government of satellite market, parking facilities for hundreds of trucks, office for traders, residential quarters for workers, banking facilities and the like, has turned out to be quite empty and unfulfilled. It is time, now, to look into the issue and resolve it to the satisfaction of the fruit traders.
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