*Many Panchayat members join JKAP
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 26: The Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) has urged upon the Lt Governor’s Administration to address the sufferings of Kashmir artisans.
In a function of the party held here today, the party district president and former Legislator Noor Mohd Sheikh urged the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to address the issues of the people associated with the handicrafts in district Srinagar. He claimed that in fact all the artisans in Kashmir are badly sufferings and they need immediate support from the Government.
Various prominent Panchayat representatives from various areas of Dangerpora-Sonawari district Bandipora also joined the Apni Party at party office, Lal Chowk, Srinagar today.
The new entrants to Apni Party–Manzoor Ahmad Kawa, Sarpanch Dangarpora, Block Ganastan, Bilal Ahmad Rather, Ali Mohammad Sofi and Nazir Ahmad Sofi Panchs from Dangarpora Sonawari-Bandipora district were welcomed by Noor Mohammad Sheikh, party District president Srinagar, Irfan Naqib Incharge Zadibal Constituency, Ajaz Ahmad Rather Zonal president Amirakadal Constituency and Social Activist Sajid Bhat from Indira Nagar.
On this occasion, the former legislator and Apni Party district president Noor Mohd Sheikh appealed to Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha to address the sufferings of artisans associated with the Handicrafts sector in district Srinagar.
“While the civil society organizations and the Government have stepped in to provide some relief to the urban poor and migrants, Handicrafts artisans have been largely ignored. Especially the workers aligned to artisans who, like migrant workers in construction, live hand-to-mouth. Because they do not fall in the essential services category, they have had to stop production,” Sheikh observed.
He said that the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) spring fair 2020 (the biggest platform for artisans to get overseas orders) has been cancelled. “EPCH estimates an Rs 8,000-10,000 crore loss to the sector and closure of 60-80 percent units this year. While bigger artisans use other retailers and exports to reach their markets, cancellation of regular, scheduled exhibitions by the Government, Crafts Council of India, Dastkar, Dastkari Haat and private players have taken away the primary sales channel of numerous small artisan units,” he added.
He said that with near-zero sales now for over a month (since March), artisans currently have no savings to restart production, and also face other production challenges like unavailability of raw materials or access to water.
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