Jewellers remain on strike

There is no let-up in the ongoing strike by jewelers with the traders saying the strike is causing daily loss of Rs 1.5 crore in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, a team of Valley jewellers will leave for New Delhi tomorrow to participate in the protest at the Jantar Mantar.
“Our strike entered day 33 today and we will not call it off till our demands are met. Tomorrow, president of the association Bashir Ahmad Rather will lead a team from here to the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi where jewelers and gold dealers from all over the country are protesting,” said Nazir Ahmad, chairman, Kashmir Valley Gold Dealers and Workers Association.
The association staged frequent protests in the past one month in Srinagar, demanding rollback of the Centre’s decision to levy one per cent excise duty on gold.
Rather said levying of excise duty would result in an increase in prices of gold by almost Rs 500 per 10 grams.
He said it would burden the customers and have a negative impact on their businesses.
The association is also objecting to the new rule that customers buying gold worth Rs 2 lakh or more will have to furnish PAN card details.
Mohammad Yasin Khan, chairman, Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) — an amalgam of various traders’ bodies — said the strike was causing a daily loss of Rs 1.5 crore in the Kashmir valley.
“Around 30,000 workers are associated with the business and they are incurring losses to the tune of Rs 1.5 crore on a daily basis,” said Khan.
He said the strike had also started worrying people ahead of the marriage season, which usually picks up in the month of May.
“During this period, workers and gold dealers do maximum business but they are suffering. The state government should take up the matter with the Centre,” said Khan.