Srinagar, Apr 18: Seeking improvement in its maintenance, the unit holders of Industrial Estate Zakura have strongly suggested the government to give the IE in the charge of Industries Department.
 “Unlike other estates which are in the charge of Industries Department, this estate is being looked after by the SICOP,” said President of the IE, G M Bhat, adding that it had seriously affected the development and maintenance of the IE.
 “For its speedy maintenance, the charge of the estate should completely be handed over to the Industries Department, like they have done in case of Baag-i-Ali Mardan Khan, Ganderbal and other estates, so that problems pertaining to the estate are solved,” said Bhat.
 He said the Industries Department being mother of industries can better understand “our problems whereas SICOP being a trading agency intends to earn more and more profit without looking into the problems of the unit holders.”
 He said they have time and again raised the issue with the authorities concerned and ministers and have also highlighted the matter in the print media, “but to no avail.”
  “And it is because of this negative attitude that Zukura Industrial Estate is lagging behind in every respect,” he said.
 The unit holders said they were confronting a number of problems, which they wanted to be addressed at the earliest.
 They said for past eight years, they had been pleading before the SICOP seeking solution to their problems, “but nothing has been done till date.”
 To start with, they demanded vacation of troopers from the estate, which, they said, was causing them huge problems.
 They said the unused land in the estate, which is under the control of JKHPMC and presently under the occupation of the CRPF, could be allotted to the unemployed youth interested in setting up their units.
 The unit holders sought rehabilitation of the sick-units in the estate. “Due to the political unrest in the state, especially in the Valley, for past many years, most of the flourishing units have been rendered sick,” said Bhat.
 “Their rehabilitation should be undertaken in the light of various schemes announced by the government in recent packages and the suggestions put forth by the Industrial Reconstruction Forum,” he said.
 He said the drainage system in the estate was completely choked and with no outlet at all.
 “Therefore, an immediate attention is required to avoid epidemic outbreak in the estate. Besides, due to foul smell emanating from the drains, we fear closure of the factories in the estate,” he said.
 Bhat said from the very inception of the estate, the inner roads had never been repaired.
 “The estate is also without streetlights, which adds to our insecurity,” he said.
 He said there was a dire need of installing new electric transformers in the estate, for the existing five transformers—installed 21 years back—had never been repaired or replaced till date.
 Besides, he said, the high tension and low tension electric lines were loosely connected that caused a high risk to the human life.
 The unit-holders also sought widening of the road at entry point of the estate. “The road at the entry-point of the estate has got lesser width, due to which we are facing huge problems,” they said.
  “In this regard, we have requested SICOP many a time to take up the issue with concerned agencies. But irrespective of numberless assurances, nothing could be done,” they said.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST