Apni Party lashes out at govt for ‘unregulated prices’ of essential commodities in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 14: Apni Party Provincial President Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir on Thursday expressed deep anguish over the situation emerging out of price rise of essential commodities in Kashmir following closure of 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

“The closure of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has caused huge price rise of essential commodities in Kashmir division. Even vegetable prices have hiked up to skies. There seems to be no price regulating authority on ground which is causing immense sufferings to the people,” Mr Mir told reporters here on Thursday.

He said teams of the department of food must be deputed across Kashmir to keep a check on the market rates, adding that the traders found responsible for hoarding of ration and other essential commodities or planned inflation must be dealt with sternly.

The Apni Party Provincial President remarked that since the Jammu-Srinagar national highway is supposed to remain shut for next few weeks, the government should find a permanent solution for this lingering problem.

“Even in the twenty-first century our fates are left to be decided by the extreme weather conditions. The government must initiate to look for other conceivable options like the full refurbishment and restoration of Mughal and Sinthan Top roads which can efficiently prove reliable alternatives for the people in inclement weather,” he added.

Mir, however, welcomed the arrival of the first consignment of 1.46 lakh Covid Vaccine vials in the J&K. He hoped that further consignments will succeed with higher numbers of vials in the future.

He observed, “I on behalf of the Apni Party thank the Lt. Governor of J&K and the regional administration who have taken the first step in fully operationalising the OPD at SKIMS (JVC) from Friday. This will render relief to scores of patients who have continuously suffered from the past nine months because of the COVID pandemic.”

He implored the government to take serious note of the problems faced by the people living in the border and far-flung regions of the Kashmir division.

“The people in Karnah, Keran, Gurez and other far off areas of the Kashmir division remain still cut off from the other parts of the region. The district and block administrations should make it imperative that an ample supply of essential commodities are stocked in these areas and emergency medical aids are available to the locals on a 24x7 basis,” he concluded.