Srinagar, Mar 4: Finally the Pakistani moong has made its way again into Kashmir after remaining under ban for over ten weeks.
 The Valley traders today heaved a sigh of relief as the green gram of Pakistan rolled down from the Chakoti Trade Centre to Trade Facilitation Centre Salamabad after a gap of 10 weeks.
 Custodian officer for cross-LoC trade at TFC Salamabad and general manager DIC Varmul, Muhammad Ashraf Wani, said the traders were thrilled to receive green gram from AJK after a long interval.
  “In fact this week on both days of the trade, only green gram was imported from across the LoC,” Wani said.
 He said green gram weighing 7532 quintals was received in 93 truckloads from the Chakoti Trade Centre. The consignments were worth Rs 4.5 crore.
  Pertinently, the AJK government had put ban on the trade of Pakistani green gram that had drawn resistance from the traders from both the sides, as according to them, the trade of green gram fetched them good returns.
 Meanwhile, the custodian said, goods were exported in 63 trucks to AJK. The consignments weighing 4366 quintals and valuing Rs 2.6 crore comprised of coconut and red chillies, he said.
 The officials said the trade was conducted smoothly between the two sides. “For last two weeks now, the cross-LoC trade is running very smoothly from both the side since the time it has come under the control of the Army. Earlier the staff here was from the civil administration. But now it is under the charge of DG Army, who has maintained discipline at the TFC,” said Wani.
 “Earlier we had to wait for sometime for the trucks. Bow now trucks come and leave on time. The Army reaches the spot even before us. And now the Standard Operating Procedure is followed in letter and spirit by both the sides. So we also feel relaxed now,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 4 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 4 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST