Trade body concerned over ‘dwindling state of Kashmir handicrafts’
Srinagar: President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad Thursday expressed concern about the “dwindling state of Kashmir handicrafts and the miseries that handicraft artisans are going through over the years”.
The KCCI state this while holding a meeting with the Director CDI, Zubair Ahmad and Sarfaraz Ahmad Wani, Professor Faculty of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry along with the members from the Handicrafts and Handloom sectors. Members belonging to Handicrafts/Handloom highlighted the problems related to the customs and use of outdated technology for testing of Kashmiri Pashmina Shawls.
The KCCI said that the role and importance of the handicrafts sector in Kashmir economics had always been commendable.
Ashiq urged the state and central governments to take steps for the “survival of artisans be it Pashmina/Shawl weavers or Traders and rescue them from losses which have occurred due to detaining of consignments at Delhi customs on the pretext of testing”. He particularly urged the state government to ensure the use of modern testing method which could ensure foolproof testing in short period so that the consignment is released from the customs on time and orders of their buyers won’t get cancelled as it is happening frequently these days.
Ashiq also urged state government to ensure testing of Kashmiri Shawls was done as per the latest standards issued by the Bureau of Indian standards and ban all other obsolete methods of testing.
The KCCI President also decided to schedule a meeting with Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce to discuss all the issues related to the Kashmir Handicrafts conveyed by the members of Handicrafts/Handloom.
KV News
