Kulgam, Sep 11: CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Monday said that the claims of development in Jammu & Kashmir are mismatching on the ground.
He made these remarks while addressing the daylong conference of Apple Farmers Federation at Yaripora in Kulgam district with the slogan “Save Apple Save Kashmir”. The conference was attended by hundreds of kisans of the area.
Referring to the problems and issues faced by the apple growers, he said apple provides livelihood to thousands of families but these farmers are facing severe distress due to lack of remunerative price and non-availability of storage facilities. “All claims of development remain hollow unless livelihood issues of common people are not addressed,” he said.
Tarigami added, “The alarming rise in unemployment has created uncertainty among the educated youth. No recruitment is taking place thus youth are facing alienation. Scheme workers who are getting meagre wages are not being paid on time. Businesses have been shattered in the last few years. People are suffering because of the wrong policies of the government.”
Referring to the installation of smart meters in urban as well as rural areas, he said the people are resisting the move. “The generation of power on our water resources is being supplied to people at unaffordable rates. The livelihood issues of people have been totally ignored,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader further said, “The basic denial of democracy and democratic rights of the people is seen most acutely in the failure to hold assembly elections. Even after the delimitation exercise that was weighted to favour particular parties’ interests and reduce the representation of the people of Kashmir Valley, the Central government is reluctant to hold elections. CPI(M), therefore, demands that elections be held to the J&K assembly immediately for restoration of democracy.” He also demanded the release of all political prisoners languishing in and outside jails.
The conference demanded 100 percent import duty on foreign apples, provision of fertilisers and pesticides at subsidised rates to apple farmers, and construction of cold stores in every apple-producing district.
