Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 4: Accusing the State Government of adopting an indifferent attitude towards the people’s grievances and rubbishing Govt’s claims of success on various fronts, former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla today said that traders have been suffering tremendous losses due to erratic power supply for the past two and a half months.
Addressing deputation of Preet Nagar from Gandhi Nagar constituency today, Raman Bhalla said that many Jammu based business houses are also suffering due to Kashmir unrest. Uncertain future and fading hopes of business prospects is giving sleepless nights to the traders here. He said barring a few prominent businessmen, large section of small traders is in deep crisis and eagerly awaiting restoration of peace and normalcy in Kashmir valley.
Slamming the public representatives from Jammu for being mute spectors, Mr Bhalla said that despite getting massive mandate they have yet to utter a word on the quantum of losses incurred by traders from Jammu region. Both Jammu and Kashmir regions are interlinked commercially to maintain the crucial supply chain but ever since Kashmir has been witnessing ‘mindless violence’ across different districts the traders from Jammu, are left with no other option but to count mounting losses, Bhalla maintained.
He said the transporters community is the worst hit. Both big transporters as well as small time operators, whose livelihood depends mainly on ferrying tourists, pilgrims and common masses from Jammu during the summer months to Kashmir valley have faced huge losses. Though this goes same for their counterparts in Kashmir, but those from Jammu are suffering for none of their faults in the political turmoil.
Asserting that State Government failed to provide basic amenities to the people, former Minister said it was unfortunate that people were being subjected to severe hardships due to mis-governance of Govt. He maintained that nothing will be fetched by giving fake assurances and changing roadmaps unless and until Government takes needful steps for public welfare. He said both the coalition partners are finding it difficult to explain U-turns taken by them over various issues to their respective vote banks.