Fresh fruit rots in trucks detained on Kashmir highway for longer periods : Hakeem

Srinagar: Chairman People’s Democratic Front ( PDF ) Hakeem Yaseen has expressed concern over detention of fruit loaded trucks from Kashmir valley on Kashmir highway for days together unnecessarily . He said fresh fruit ,that has short shelf life , gets spoiled due to un necessary stoppage of fruit loaded trucks thus inflicting heavy losses on the fruit growers and traders .
In a statement issued on Tuesday Hakeem while expressing concern over the losses caused to fruit growers and traders due to detention of fruit loaded trucks from Kashmir on Srinagar-Jammu highway for days together , castigated the government for acting as mute spectator over the burning problem .He said fruit industry has already suffered severe set back due to back to back lock downs and shut downs since August 5,2019 adding that the government should rise to the occasion to protect the fruit industry from further losses. He said authorities at the helm of affairs especially concerned transport, traffic and horticulture officers should device a foolproof arrangement to ensure un- interrupted ferrying of fruit loaded trucks from Kashmir to other terminal fruit markets of the country .
PDF Chairman said that fruit growers , traders of Kashmir alongwith truckers are having sleepless nights due to the irresponsible attitude of traffic police manning the National Highway -44 .He has urged the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to personally intervene in the matter as it has caused general unrest among the fruit growers .” Unless a foolproof arrangement for ferrying fresh fruit from Kashmir valley and availability of trucks at reasonable prices trucks afresh fruit l are not endured , there could be a big economic catastrophy for the whole fruit traders and growers community , Hakeem Yaseen cautioned .
Reacting to the ongoing tour of the Union Ministers to Jammu and Kashmir , Hakeem said instead of holding meetings in Ivory towers and issuing long press notes ، they would visit far flung areas and meet common people to know thier problems and grievances ” But Alas! the bearucracy will never let them to meet common people as it would get it exposed for it’s dismal performance on the ground ، Hakeem observed ۔ He said ،fact was ، common people were adversely sufferings for want of basic amenities not to talk of their developmental aspirations .He said there was a huge gap and disconnect between the people and bureaucracy which has compounded the problems of common people . ” Holding of early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir seems to be the only solution to get rid of the prevailing administrative mess and inertia ,” Hakeem maintained .