Srinagar, April 29: Traders at Fruit Mandi Parimpora today began an indefinite strike to protest against the ban on civilian movement along the national highway and ‘undue’ stoppage of valley bound fruit and vegetable laden trucks on the highway at several places. A complete shutdown was also observed in the valley’s major fruit and vegetable Mandi
Stating that the strike would continue until the government doesn’t revisit its decision of barring national highway for civilian movement twice a week, the protesting traders alleged harassment of Kashmir bound trucks by the police on highway at various places.
Talking to reporters, Primpora Fruit Mandi Association President, Bashir Ahmad Bashir, said that the strike would be indefinite and would continue until the government doesn’t revoke its ‘highway ban’.
“We have suffered losses worth crores since the government’s announcement to bar civilian traffic twice every week came into force. Also our trucks laden with fruits and vegetables have continuously been barred to move towards Srinagar from Udhampur. Stock worth crores of rupees has rotten,” alleged Bashir.
While stating that the Association was fully aware of the hardships that the public shall have to bear due to the indefinite strike but maintained that the call could only be reconsidered if the government was ready to roll back its decision of highway ban and issue orders not to stop truck loads along the highway.
“We have been forced to protest and take extreme steps. We know that our strike will badly affect the general public and at the same time prices will also rise. But government’s reluctance has forced us to take this extreme step,” added he.
He, however, said while the traders had suffered huge losses over the past few weeks, they would ensure that masses don’t have to suffer.
