Units worth crores turned into ashes over the years: Unit holders
Jahangir Sofi
Srinagar, Feb 18 (KNO): Since its inception in 1976, the unit holders of the Industrial Estate HMT Zainakote are still waiting for the day when the fire station will be built in the estate to avoid the major losses due to ablaze.
Spread over 525 Kanals of land and comprising 150 Units, the Industrial Estate is located in Srinagar outskirts and is one of the oldest Industrial estates of the valley.
Despite no success after approaching the successive governments, the unit holders still believe that the fire station will be earmarked for the estate.
Mohamad Ayoub, President of the Industrial Estate HMT Zainakote told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the industrial estate stands one of the oldest in the valley, but the continuous callous approach of successive governments and specially by the SICOP has led to the industrial estate in shambles.
“In last two decades there have been around 14 fire incidents which resulted in massive losses to the unit holders,” he said. “We have a cluster of cotton and joinery units in the estate which are more vulnerable to fire, but successive governments never showed any seriousness towards our genuine demands.”
Ayoub said the Industrial estate has been witnessing the fire incidents since its inception and properties worth crores have been lost over the years.
A unit holder told that last year there were many fire incidents in which a food processing unit, cotton factory and a joinery mill was completely damaged in the fire leading to massive losses.
“Had there been a fire tender in the estate losses and damages could have been avoided to a great extent. The fire tenders come when there is nothing left,” he said.
President Industrial Estate Zainakote said, “such is the condition of the estate that the receiving station which was precisely earmarked for Industrial estate is catering now a local area.”
Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, no official was available for the comments.
The story will be updated as soon as the official quote will be available—(KNO)
