Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, has expressed concern over the lack of irrigation waters to the fruit orchards, agriculture fields and highland karewas which has resulted into huge losses to the people involved with the farming activity in the state.According to a statement issued to KNS, while addressing various roadside meetings in Wachi assembly constituency of Shopian district, she said there are no sufficient irrigation waters available to the orchards, agriculture fields, vegetable farms and the ruling NC-led government has miserably failed in its duty to devise specific plans to rescue the sectors from imperiling crisis. Mehbooba said the farming community have suffered immense losses, because of the inclement weather conditions, lack of irrigation waters and the government indifference. She said the hailstorm in many areas have left standing crops devastated but the government agencies have not been able to intervene either in disease control or loss assessment.
Mehbooba said the horticulture industry in the state is faced with immense challenges and the lack of concern from the ruling National Conference government towards this economically vital sector has created a huge crisis like situationThe PDP Chief expressed concern over the decrease in fruit crops particularly apple over the last five years which has badly affected the economic condition of the people involved with the sector. “Apple production has considerably decreased in Kashmir over the last five years, which is the matter of huge concern for all of us,” she said. The PDP president, however, said the sector will be among the priority areas for her party in future and serious efforts will be put in to get it back on rails. She said regeneration of old orchards, increase in apple productivity and proper irrigation facilities to orchards is a must and the PDP will seriously work towards this.
Mehbooba said the apple crop has been hit by diseases across Kashmir and districts of Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and parts of Budgam are the worst hit. “Many diseases have attacked apple plants and almost all orchards are threatened causing nearly total devastation of the crop,” she said adding
the diseases are leaving a long term impact as well, which could permanently hurt the industry that is providing sustenance to the huge population across the Valley. She said during the current year also due to hostile climatic conditions and onslaught of diseases the sector is facing with huge losses.Mehbooba said the horticulture industry in the state has received a boost during PDP-led government with measures like abolishing of toll tax, establishment of local fruit markets, lift irrigation schemes and introduction of market intervention scheme. But, she regretted that, instead of building up on these initiatives the sector has been victim of complete neglect during the past 6 years.
Mehbooba said the absence of post harvest infrastructure and non-availability of cold storages, have locked the growth of this sector in the state and the PDP will seriously focus on these issues. She said all this government can do to reach out to the fruit growers, make the relevant agencies accountable and make the repayment of crop-loans easier.She said the ruling coalition has brazenly ignored the people living in the rural areas like Wacchi, and they are still suffering due to lack of basic amenities like quality health care, proper road connectivity, quality education, ration, power etc. Mehbooba said the health care facilities in these areas were almost nil, and the people have to travel miles to get the treatment done. Mehbooba said the dilapidated condition of roads in the entire constituency present a sad commentary on the performance of the ruling NC-led government. “Pathetic condition of roads in Wacchi constituency have forced transporters to even stop plying their vehicles on them,” she said and added the people in Wacchi have also complained about the lack of drinking water facilities and the concerned authorities are literally ignorant and unmoved by the people’s sufferings.
She said the growing unemployment among the literate, educated, skilled, semi-skilled youth in the areas like Wacchi is matter of great concern for all us and the PDP is devising specific plans to ensure meaningful and remunerative employability for our young population. Mehbooba said far-flung areas offer huge potential for tourism and the ruling government has miserably failed to harness the potential. She said the PDP will seriously work to get these areas on the tourism map without interfering with the environs like it had done during its brief stint in the government but the initiative didn’t take off fully due to the non-serious attitude of the NC-led government. “That will not only help in development of these areas but will go a long way in creating respectful job opportunities for the locals,” Mehbooba said. (KNS)