Crisis is brewing in Kashmir after rains washed away 40 metres of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway snapping the only road link with the rest of the country.
SRINAGAR: Crisis is brewing in Kashmir after torrential rains washed away 40 metres of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway snapping the only road link with the rest of the country, causing shortage of essential commodities in the valley.
The 300 kilometer Srinagar-Jammu highway has been closed for the past six days and thousands of trucks are stranded on the roads. Around 1500 passengers were also stranded in Jammu at different points on the highway.
Authorities have temporary restored the stretch to allow light motor vehicles to pass on and evacuate the stranded passengers.
Due to the road closure, the valley is facing shortage of milk, mutton, chicken and fresh vegetables forcing the authorities to prepare the contingency.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Basharat Ahmad Dhar has assured of all essential commodities. “We have sufficient stock of petroleum products which can suffice for 70 days. We have everything available baring some fresh vegetables, mutton and chicken,” he said. Traders are blaming the government for the shortage of essential commodities. “We have time and again told the government to promote the local poultry and milk industry in Kashmir. Had they agreed to our proposals, the crisis would not have blown over”, said Mohammad Sadiq Baqal, chairman of Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF).
The shortage of milk has aggravated the problem. “I went to shop for milk packets, but to no avail. The shopkeepers are taking undue advantage of the situation and creating deliberate scarcity of milk”, said Shafat Ahmad, a local.
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