SRINAGAR: Kashmir Economic Alliance, an umbrella of Valley based trade organization, Thursday expressed its distress and surprise over People’s Democratic Party’s opposition on Civic Laws (Special Provision) Bill, passed recently in the J&K Legislature that puts moratorium of one year on sealing and demolition of illegal constructions.
“PDP legislators who claim to be the representatives of the people should always understand and realize that such moves are anti people and anti trade which can lead to a worst crisis and should avoid to play dirty politics and settle scores with each other at the cost of the welfare of the general public,” Siraj Ahmad, chief spokesperson of the KEA said.
Ahmad said it is surprising that party like PDP, which has its base in Kashmir, opposed the bill in the Legislative Council despite knowing that it will affect Kashmir based businesses most.
The KEA had vociferously raised its voice against the discriminatory approach adopted by the government towards the business community of the Valley by initiating a process of sealing of the properties coming under violation of master plan, he said.
“More than 42 commercial properties were sealed in the Valley, leaving them and their employment high and dry but no such action was initiated in other regions of the state,” Ahmad said.
KEA very openly came out in the media about the disastrous impact of the sealing on the over all well being and the economy of the state, which was likely create miseries and render thousands of people jobless.
Now KEA impresses upon the government and its enforcing agencies, that the Act passed in this regard must be enforced immediately so as to provide relief to the business community of the state along with their employees and owners of these properties, Ahmad said.

Reader correspondent