Srinagar: Kashmir’s premier trade body on Tuesday said that a single day of lockdown or strike costs a loss of Rs 372 crore to the entire Jammu and Kashmir of which the valley alone suffers Rs 150 crore loss putting immense burden and impact on people associated with the trade community.
Muhammad Yasin Khan, President of Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) Tuesday visited Handwara where at least 43 vegetable carts and three shops gutted in a massive blaze incident and expressed solidarity with all those affected.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the visit Yasin said that a fire incident is not the end of the innings, rather it is from the creator and no one can challenge it.
“Hopefully, this vegetable market will be abuzz soon and shops and all the owners will be back since our efforts are underway along with the administration for all possible help,” he said.
He said that be it any place across the Kashmir valley trader’s body stands with all its shopkeepers and God forbid if any such incident surfaces elsewhere it is our responsibility to visit them.
“We stand by all those affected in the blaze incident and every situation shopkeepers have to face in times to come to see the rebuilding of this entire structure,” Khan assured the affected owners.
He said that the business community during the lockdown phase has suffered significant loss but so far no trade body has requested the government for a package given the ongoing Covid situation.
“We have held a series of meetings with the administration and expect the outcome in a day or two but the Covid situation is challenging since there is no control on the regular spike of cases,” he said.
Khan said trades are supposed to find an alternative while working because as per the medical experts the infection will live with us for long.
“We must find a way to ensure no trader gets the infection with the resumption of normal work since it will be with us for a long time now,” he said.
Yasin to a query said that the entire Jammu and Kashmir suffers a total loss of Rs 372 crore while the Kashmir valley alone suffers Rs 150 crore loss due to single day lockdown or shutdown.
Free Press Kashmir is now on Telegram. Click here to Join.
FPK Android App for 2G. Click here to Download.
