SAHIL BHAT
SEPT 15: With fruit mandis across the valley observing shutdown citing the Government’s failure to ensure hassle-free movement of trucks on Jammu-Srinagar NHW resulting in heavy losses, Kashmiri leaders on Monday severely reprimand the National Conference (NC) Government in this regard.
People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti, People’s Conference Chief Sajad Lone and Islamic scholar cum Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq hurled barbs at the NC Government for failing to tackle the situation and neglecting the plight of fruit growers.
PDP’s Iltija Mufti said, “If the NC Government continues to show apathy to the concerns of apple growers, it indicates they are in touch with private firms (Ambani, Adani) seeking to take over the Apple Industry. It is NC’s conspiracy and PDP was and will always stand with fruit growers. Tourism and Horticulture are the backbones of Kashmir’s economy, due to Pahalgam attack Tourism got fractured and now Horticulture is suffering as fruit growers are facing loss of Crores of rupees.”
“What stops CM Omar Abdullah from holding meeting with R&B and BRO?” questions Iltija Mufti.
Sajad Lone targets NC Government stating that inclement weather is not the fault of Government but sitting like a mute spectator and doing nothing is criminal.
“The apples destined for the rest of the country are in a state of rot. Massive losses for the apple growers. I am sure there must be some remedial measures. Inclement weather is not fault of Government. But sitting like a mute spectator and doing nothing is criminal. My humble advice to CM sahib. Stop wandering aimlessly across the country. Sit with your officers and stakeholders and work out a strategy,” Lone posted on X.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq denounced the Government over failure to reach-out to the needs of fruit growers and orchardists
On X, he posted, “Deeply pained by the plight of the protesting fruit growers and orchardists, the backbone of Kashmir’s economy sustaining thousands of families, as fruit-laden trucks rot for days on the highway with no right to passage. The Government’s apathy to their plight, pushing their year’s hard work to ruin, is shameful. I urge the authorities to immediately ensure unhindered passage of trucks on priority, to prevent further losses to them and the mental agony it’s causing them.”
