Tral residents demand fruit mandi
Pulwama: The residents of Tral hamlet in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have demanded establishment of a full-fledged fruit mandi in their area.
The residents said the area consists of around 100 villages and almost in every village apples and other fruits are grown at a large scale.
“But in the absence of mandi, we are forced to send our apples to other Mandi’s which are very far from the area,” said a local grower.
Another resident said that in absence of fruit Mandi in the area, growers send their produce to Mandi’s of other districts.
“And unfortunately we are ooted on name of fare by the transporters,” said Shabir Ahmad, a fruit grower from Tral.
He said that if fruit Mandi would have been available in locality, it would have been easy for growers to take their produce by saving their time and money.
“Three years ago the government promised us that a fruit mandi will be set up in Nowdal area of the Tral subdivision but it is nowhere in sight,” another grower said.
He said that 20 kanals of land were also identified and trees were also cut in 2020 but work is yet to be started on it.
Locals said that setting up a fruit Mandi in the area will also create employment opportunities for youth as well.
The residents and the growers urged the J& Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha to intervene at an earliest so that Mandi can be set up in the area and locals can heave a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, an official of Horticulture, Planning and Marketing said that they have already submitted a file to set up fruit mandi at Nowdal Tral.
“We are waiting for a green signal from higher ups following which we can start work on it,” he said.
Jahangeer Ganaie
