Monga demands urgent relief package for tourism, horticulture, transport sectors

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Srinagar, May 11: Stating that people associated with horticulture, tourism and transport sectors in the Valley were in deep crisis since last year August, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Vice-President and former MLC G N Monga today said that Kashmir’s economy needs an urgent relief package.
In a statement issued to press from here, he said, “First blow to tourism sector was given by the government of India itself last August when it asked tourists and pilgrims to leave Kashmir valley immediately. Then in October the national highway remained closed and fruit couldn’t be exported before untimely snowfall on November 7 wreaked havoc to horticulture sector.”
“In the name of compensation, the government provided peanuts to the growers despite tall promises. And more than three lakh tonnes of fruit which was in cold stores in Kashmir and had to be despatched to outside markets in April couldn’t be due to COVID-19 lockdown,” Monga said.
“Similarly transporters and other daily earners have been suffering immensely since last August. And when it seemed situation would improve, COIVD-19 lockdown was imposed in third week of March which has dealt another death blow to ailing economy of Kashmir,” he added.
The Congress leader said that lakhs of people associated with tourism, horticulture, transport and other vital sectors of economy were badly affected as their livelihood is at stake. “What’s urgently needed is a comprehensive relief package for people associated with tourism, horticulture, transport and other sectors. Time shouldn’t be wasted as an already ailing economy is of Kashmir now gasping amid lockdowns prompted by the coronavirus crisis,” he said.
“As it was government of India, who imposed last year’s security clampdown and this year’s COVID-19 lockdown, they should to bail out the people suffering immensely due to its ill-planned decisions,” the JKPCC Vice-President demanded.
He urged the government to announce short-term and long-term packages for the people associated with tourism, horticulture and transport in Kashmir as they have been suffering due to the ill-planned decisions of the BJP-led Central government.
“While announcing COVID-19 lockdown, amongst other vulnerable groups, the government totally forgot to account for migrant labourers. These labourers rely on daily wages for their dinner. With no work, scanty or no savings, and no place to stay, thousands of Kashmiri labourers stranded outside J&K are in deep crisis. The unfolding humanitarian crisis, perhaps not anticipated by the government, forced it to act, but the help arrived too late and was too little,” the Congress leader said.
“Though the government has allowed the stranded migrants, students and tourists to return to their homes by arranging surface transport, hundreds are unable to avail the facility given the long distances they have to travel. This begs a question. Was not the government aware of massive number of migrant labourers spread across the country? And what was its plan for their evacuation?” he asked.
“After the lockdown was announced, a humanitarian crisis unfolded, forcing people into starvation, joblessness, poverty, destitution and depression,” he rued.