Bat industry craving for survival
Anantnag: Asia’s largest bat industry operating from south Kashmir’s Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir is facing lot of challenges as the government support offered to the entrepreneurs has been very minimal.
Bat manufacturers of Halmulla- Chersoo area of south Kashmir said that despite getting the status of industrial area last year, the area is still lagging behind in terms of development.
They said that there is no proper drainage system, no lighting system, no first aid facility and no bank in the industrial area.
They CFC Sethar was constructed in 2004 with an aim that it will help in drying the willow clefts within days which usually takes months, thereby saving time of manufacturers, Nazir Ahmad, a local entrepreneur said.
He said that the functioning of CFC could have ensured that bulk quantity of bats colud be manufactured here however, even after 16 years CFC hasn’t made functional yet.
Owners of Dar cricket World, New Shiraz sports, Zahoor sports besides others said that the bat industry lacks infrastructure and still hand tools are being used.
They said that still traditional processing is going on which needs upgradation besides that due to imposition of 12 percent GST many manufacturers switched to some other businesses.
During 2014 floods, we suffered huge damagess, however no one was compensated, they said, adding that illegal supply of willow cleft continues to be the order of the day .
“The government support is hardly coming and there is lack of communication between government agencies and the manufacturers,” the unit owners complained.
