Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 30: Chamber of Commerce & Industry Jammu today expressed its concern about the atmosphere of harassment created in the city by the action of Municipal Commissioner during the last about two months.
On receiving complaints from various quarters that the premises of the traders, shopkeepers and especially those dealing with eatables were being sealed without giving warning notice, the Chamber discussed this matter and came to the conclusion that it was really a case of arbitrary, authoritarian, strong handed and injudicious action which resulted in the loss of business to the victims especially during the festival of Diwali.
There is talk of Food Safety and Standards Act, it is understood that the Government had decided to create awareness about this as it is a new Act. It is responsibility of the Government to issue guidelines, arrange awareness programmes, visit the premises of the traders, guide them to make them suitable arrangements in their premises and help them in every possible way if they fail to comply with the provisions of this act, said the Chamber vice-president Sham Lal Langer.
Within only two months, around 20 to 25 sealing operations have sent shock waves among the trading community. We feel that sealing is the last punitive action and this has to be exercised in compelling circumstances where willful violation is committed, otherwise there are other ways to punish the violators of law and rules, Mr Langer opined.
Meanwhile, the Chamber also convened an extra ordinary meeting to discuss the problem of frequent power cuts in Jammu and appealed the Government to improve the situation on priority basis without any delay.
In a statement, the Chamber president Y V Sharma said that frequent power cuts were causing a great loss not only to trade and industry but also inconvenience to people at large.