Sopore growers protest halting of fruit laden trucks along Srg-Jmu highway
Sopore: Scores of fruit traders at Asia’s second largest Mandi- Sopore Fruit Mandi on Saturday staged a peaceful protest over halting of fruit laden trucks on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway by the authorities.
Various fruit traders, growers, transporters, labourers and other businessmen associated with fruit mandi Sopore assembled inside mandi to register their protest.
The protesting growers and traders said halting trucks loaded with fresh and early varieties fruits on the national highway will add to their losses.
“We have already faced huge losses and now halting trucks on highway will result in rotting of fruits on the highway due to the continuous stoppage of trucks,” they said.
They said this was the peak season of early varieties of fruits but they are pushed to the wall by the authorities.
President fruit growers and dealers association fruit mandi sopore, Fayaz Ahamd Malik said the traders have faced huge losses after the abrogation of Article 370 and due to unnecessary stoppage of fruit-laden trucks by police at several places along Srinagar-Jammu highway continued last two years.
“The authorities keep on turning a blind eye towards this issue,” he said.
He said that recent steps taken by the administration for stopping fresh fruit-laden trucks along the highway in view of Amarnath Yatra is worrisome as it causes huge losses to traders.
“Since the harvesting of early varieties of apples and other fruits like peach, plum, pears is ready to be sold in outside states. These varieties are treated acute perishable thus needs immediate and quick transportation to various destinations outside J&K,” he said.
He also said they welcome Yatris but administration must consider and take immediate steps for transportation of fresh fruit-laden trucks, so that growers do not face any loses.
“We have time and again requested the concerned authorities and again we request the LG administration to look into the matter to solve this issue once for all,” he added.
National Conference senior leader Irshad Rasool Kar also expressed concern over the halting of fruit trucks from Kashmir on NH-44, saying that blockades of fruit laden trucks for days together on highway takes a heavy toll on the local fruit industry.
“The frequent halting of the fruit laden trucks on NH-44 is causing spoilage to the economy and horticultural produce from Kashmir much before it reaches different Mandis in various parts of the country,” he said.
He said that the best way to deal with the situation is by upgrading the Srinagar- Jammu highway, ensuring hassle free traffic movement and developing mughal road as an all weather alternative to Srinagar-Jammu highway.
