Srinagar Nov 9: Developed with much fanfare, the terrible condition of Industrial Estate Rangreth today is a telltale of government’s indifference towards this estate.
 The estate lacks almost all the critical infrastructure, which according to the unit holders, is impairing the manufacturing, processing and other industrial activities.
 There are no common facilities and no drinking water in the estate. Besides, the condition of sanitation and roads is terrible.
 In terms of area, Rangreth Industrial Estate is one of the largest industrial estates in J&K spiralling over 1150 kanals of highlands near the old Airport.
 For the mess the IE is in, the unit holders blame the State Industrial Development Corporation or SIDCO. “It is the lackadaisical approach the SIDCO has shown in handling the estate that is responsible for the mess,” they complained.
 President, Association of Rangreth Industrialists, Zeshan Majeed said: “We are facing lot of hardship here. There are regular and long duration power cuts. The roads in the IE are in worst condition, which inhibit the procurement of raw material as also the supply of goods from.”
 The unit holders accused the SIDCO of adopting “defective” policies.
 “The SIDCO recently allotted land to J&K Bank for setting up a branch primarily to provide services to the unit holders of the estate. However, the entrance to the bank has not been kept from outside the estate,” they said.
 The unit holders said when they have to go to the bank “we first have to go outside the industrial estate and then enter into the bank while as for us understandably it would have been ideal to have the entrance from inside the estate,” they said.
 The unit holders said despite raising this issue with the SIDCO, “they never bothered to intervene in the matter.”
 Pertinently, the unit holders have knocked the doors of the court filing a suit against the SIDCO.
 Zeeshan said: “There is lack of proper sanitation, all the drains of the estate are choked due to their non-maintenance.”
 All the units holders of the estate complained about the quality of the drinking water provided by the SIDCO.
 Aamir, a unit holder, said: “The drinking water in the estate, which is the basic necessity, is not fit for consumption. It is contaminated.”
 “The SIDCO has not provided adequate security cover to the estate. A handful of security personnel provide by the corporation can hardly be seen after 6 PM,” the unit holders said.
 The estate has 219 units including 42 housed in sheds.
 When contacted, Managing Director, SIDCO said the association/unit holders should first discuss these issues with the Estates Manager.
 “We are nowhere in the picture,” he added.
 However, he said they (the association/unit holders) should give their grievances in writing to the management of the SIDCO,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST