Rehabilitation of traders humanitarian issue; KTMF Calls for strike on March 4

Srinagar, Feb 28 (KMW): Terming the much-needed rehabilitation of flood-affected traders of Kashmir a “humanitarian issue”, the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) President Muhammad Yasin Khan today asked the Central Government and the world bodies into relief and rehabilitation to have a serious look at the grave situation of Valley’s trade community. The KTMF has called for a strike call on March 4 to resent the delay in rehabilitation.
Laced with facts and figures, Khan while addressing a post-flood convention hosted by KTMF here, said revival of business activities was impossible in the absence of external assistance as traders have suffered colossal damages in the September 2014 deluge and are struggling for revival since. “KTMF calls for strike on March 4 and appeals the trader fraternity to assemble at Lal Chowk on the day for protests over delay in rehabilitation,” Khan said.
He said: “Compensation of the losses and rehabilitation of the trader should be the first priority.” Besides he sought exemption on tax and soft loans. “Ten years interest free advancing as business capital be arranged for the traders.
Twenty years interest free advancing towards construction of commercial building. All taxes, including VAT and Income Tax should be suspended till the traders get rehabilitated,” Khan maintained.
He said the KTMF was “pained and concerned about the fake and farce announcements made by the Government regarding rehabilitation packages to my fellow traders who were economically reduced to zero in terms of capital and assets by devastating floods in Sept, 2014.”
Referring to the last year Assembly elections held post floods, Khan said: “”Elections added salt to the injuries. The flood victims were desperate to get loses assessed, were waiting for relief and rehabilitation. But elections put this human tragedy on the backburner.”
“Govt employees got engaged in election arrangements leaving sufferers high and dry. The situation as such, pushed people in a psychological suffocation. Whatever work was being done regarding floods got freezed in the name of elections,” the KTMF President said.
Giving details of losses suffered by traders, he said: “The historical losses suffered by business community in twenty districts is estimated to the tune of Rs 30,000 crores affecting over 65,000 business establishments, out of which 14,000 establishment stand wiped out.”