‘Govt compensates only 650 flood-hit traders’

Valley business community Sunday alleged that out of 33,000 flood-hit traders in Srinagar, state government has managed to provide relief cheques to only 650 traders till date.

“More than 220 bazaar committees, comprising of 33,000 traders had submitted self-assessment reports to the state government but till date only 650 traders have been compensated that too with a meager amount,” President Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation, Muhammad Yaseen Khan said.

Khan said trader’s community was astonished when Chief Minister announced that only 2500 traders in whole Kashmir would be provided “paltry” sum of rupees as rehabilitation package.

“We fail to understand on which criteria they have selected only 650 traders out of 33,000 flood hit traders in Srinagar. It is not relief package but political package for PDP workers,” Khan said.

On April 15, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed distributed relief cheques amongst 650 uninsured small time traders and shopkeepers of Srinagar district with turnover less than Rs 5 lakh.

Khan said the biggest causality of Kashmir dispute has been the business fraternity.

“If calamity victims in states like Gujarat and Uttarkhand get Rs 5 lakh initial relief from the government, why Prime Minister Nardenra Modi has separate yardstick for Kashmiris?” Khan asked.

To mention, KTMF has submitted a memorandum to Cabinet Sub-Committee last month in which they had demanded relief package of Rs 10 lakh to each flood affected traders.

Similarly, Kashmir Traders Federation, another traders’ body has submitted a list of 3200 traders hit by floods.

“Out of 3200 traders of our association not a single has been given relief cheque by the government,” President KTF Jan Muhammad Koul said.Koul said the traders belong from Karan Nagar, Tengpora, Mominabad new court road, Kani kadal, Budsha Chowk, Mandi market, Jamalata, Peer bagh and other adjoining areas. “PDP government has made mockery of business community by distributing Rs 30,000 to traders along with destitute and widows. We are tax payers, not beggars,” he said.

Same is the situation with Batmaloo market, where out of 1200 traders who had sought rehabilitation package, only 6 were provided relief cheques.As per official assessment report submitted by JK government to centre, it has been estimated that business sector in JK has suffered losses of Rs 70,000 crore while housing sector losses are estimated at Rs 30,000 crore, pegging the total losses at Rs 1 lakh crore.Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Farooq Lone said the lists submitted by different traders association were randomly effected flood hit traders that does not specify between insured and non-insured traders. “The cheques that were distributed by CM to 650 traders were only those whose turnover was less than Rs 1 lakh per year. As per our estimation there number is 2500 traders,” Lone said, adding that the left over traders would be compensated with a one week.

“A part from that we are also gathering the data of traders whose annual turnover is in between Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh. So far, 900 such traders have been listed whose names are available on our official website,” Lone said.

Lone said all these relief cheques were being provided from CM’s relief fund.

“The rehabilitation package from centre is still pending,” Lone said. Chief minister had earlier announced that all the uninsured traders and shopkeepers whose turnover is up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided Rs 1 lakh compensation, while as those whose turnover is less than Rs. 10 lakh will be given cash assistance of Rs. 1.50 lakh The uninsured traders whose turnover was more than Rs 10 lakh, would be given cash assistance of Rs 2 lakh.