Srinagar, Oct 26: This Eid is different for thousands of families in Kashmir. With no cooking gas and kerosene oil available and electricity playing hide and seek, many find the festivities turning sour.
 Many people Greater Kashmir talked to said that the scarcity of essential commodities like gas and kerosene had put them in a dilemma. “At a time when we should have been shopping Eid accoutrements, we are here waiting to get LPG,” said a group of consumers at a gas agency here.
 “They (gas dealer) denied me the gas refill. I had no documents with me as I was not aware,  besides there is no one in my family who can help me in getting the documentation prepared,” a woman consumer said, adding that her husband is bed-ridden and her children are living in separate houses and are busy with their daily engagements.
 People from different areas of the city said they had not even received the kerosene.
 “It is surprising that while the government is making tall claims about releasing kerosene to the consumers on Eid, we have not been given a single litre,” said Abdul Hamid of Bemina.
 “This is height of injustice which we are facing now, government instead of mitigating the miseries of common people is further adding to it,” Muhammad Younis, a Srinagar resident said.
 Younis suggested that government should ask oil companies to increase the dealers in the state to mitigate the problem of the consumers. “They (state government) are acting as a mute spectator and watching few dealers monopolizing the LPG trade in Kashmir.” 
 Traders in the Valley are also complaining low sales as compared to previous festive occasions. “This season we are witnessing unusual trend as less number of people are shopping and really purchasing,” said President, Kashmir Traders United Front (KTUF).

Lastupdate on : Fri, 26 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 27 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST