Hakeem demands relief package, KCC waiver for fruit growers, traders severely hit by stranding of trucks

Srinagar: Saying that frequently halting fruit laden trucks on Jammu-Srinagar Highway has caused losses worth millions of rupees to the fruit growers of Kashmir , Chairman , Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Front- JKPDF ) has demanded a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package for the affected fruit growers and traders . He said Government has miserably failed , in its prime duty and responsibility, to maintain traffic on Jammu and Kashmir Highway effectively and make hassle free traffic possible round the year He said J&K highway has great importance being the only surface link between Kashmir and rest of the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday Hakeem while holding government fully responsible for the worst condition of J&K highway , has demanded a broad based relief and rehabilitation package for the affected fruit growers and traders whose fruit got rotten due to halting of fruit laden trucks in between the high way. He said halting of fruit laden trucks has incurred heavy losses worth hundreds of crore rupees on the fruit growers and traders of Kashmir.
PDF Chairman has also urged the government to waive off kissan credit loans of all fruit growers immediately as they were not in a position to repay their loans taken from various banking institutions and Aarthies . ” I urge the government to waive off kissan credit loans of all worst hit fruit growers immediately before they were forced to commit suicides due to poverty ,” Hakeem added . He said government should hold the concerned road construction company for its failure to maintain flow of traffic on the highway and has also un scientifically excavated and blasted hilly terrain of the national highway for its expansion . He said the haphazard blasting of the road sides have made the national highway between Banihal to Udhampur most fragile and vulnerable for persistent landslides and shooting of stone , making it unprectible for safe journey . Hakeem also said that keeping in view the present worst condition of Natural Highway-44, especially from Banihal to Udhampur stretch , government should pool all its resources to complete under-construction railway link between Banihal to Katra before it’s scheduled date , which will give a great relief to the business community and also to the commuters .