Srinagar, Sept 18 : Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Thursday held the Union Territory government responsible for the difficulties faced by fruit growers following the repeated closures of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway.
Sharma while speaking to KNS, said the apple industry, which is among the most important sectors of Kashmir’s economy, has been incurring heavy losses because of the prolonged disruptions in transport connectivity.
He said the government in J&K had failed to come up with any practical solution to address the issue.
“If fruit growers are in trouble today, it is because of the incompetent government of this place. The non-performers, non-serious people they have made to sit here are the reason why people are in trouble,” Sharma said in a statement.
He said that while the Lieutenant Governor had arranged a cargo train for the transportation of fruit, the elected government had not taken similar steps. “If the LG has arranged a cargo train for fruit growers, why can’t the CM do the same? Why didn’t he talk to anyone, why didn’t he come up with a solution?” Sharma asked.
The BJP leader criticised the state leadership for being “busy in Kochi, Chennai and Paris” at a time when growers were facing huge losses. He said fruit growers now looked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address their concerns. “There is only one hope that if Narendra Modi… will do something, then these issues will be resolved. Otherwise, there is no hope from the government that was elected,” Sharma said.
On the demand that the National Highway should be taken over by the local government for better management, Sharma said the road had always been under the National Highways Authority of India. “The National Highway has been there from the beginning and is made across the whole country. You do whatever you want to do, but you are not even able to fix Link Roads here, so how will you manage the National Highway?” he said.
Sharma urged the administration to focus on repairing link roads under PMGSY and the PWD. He also said he had requested postponement of upcoming examinations, including the PSC’s Plus Two and judiciary exams, in view of the difficulties caused by the disruption.(KNS).
