Chemists, druggists at JVC observe shutdown, seek auction of Fair Price shop
Srinagar: Those running chemists and drugs shops outside the SKIMS Medical College in Bemina area of the city observed a protest shutdown Saturday against the hospital administration for allegedly unfairly extending the contract to a Fair-Price medical shop situated inside the hospital premises.
The protesting chemists and drugstore owners said the Fair Price shop was set up in the year 2002 for a period of two years; however even as its tenure ended in 2004, the hospital authorities unfairly dodged inviting fresh bids for running this shop since. From its inception, it has been run by a single beneficiary, they alleged.
Those operating chemists and drug shops outside SKIMS Medical College observed a complete shutdown today against this “injustice” meted out to them.
Chanting slogans that sought LG’s intervention in the matter, they insisted that the “illegal occupant” of the Fair-Price shop be removed, and held a protest on the main road demanding an immediate fresh auction of the said Fair-Price shop so that everyone could participate in its open bid.
“We request the LG administration to intervene in the matter and order the immediate auction of the said shop without any delay,” said Bilal Ahmad, president, Medical Market Association SKIMS Bemina.
He alleged that the SKIMS authorities have been unfairly benefitting the person running the said Fair-Price shop by favoring him with repeated and out-of-turn extensions of the lease.
