Srinagar, Feb 08: The famous fish market in Chattabal area of Srinagar city is craving for a space as despite several requests from traders, the authorities have failed to shift them to a desirable location.
Reyaz Ahmad, vice- president of the Fish Trade Union told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that they have been demanding the separate space for a fish market for a while now to carry their business activities.
“This is hospital road and always occupied with ambulances, even customers who come here to buy fish have no space for parking. When separate space has been provided to the traders of Jammu, why the government is not allocating us the same, despite making an announcement of space for a fish market in city outskirts in Tengpora area of Srinagar,” he said.
Another fish trader who is into the wholesale trade of fish said, that he gets various varieties of fish from other states of India.
“Due to traffic congestion in the area, I face a lot of inconvenience to unload the supply,” he said.
Director Fisheries Bashir Ahmad while speaking to KNO said four years back National Fisheries Development Board (NFD) sanctioned a fish market for which money was also issued, but due to non-availability of land, “the allotted money was surrendered.”
“SMC has given us a piece of land in outskirts of the city in Tengpora area, for which we had done fencing also. We had sent a proposal of Rs 5.50 crore to Government of India (GoI) for setting up the fish market. As soon as we get the approval and payments for the market, the work will be started through proper tendering procedures,” he said—(KNO)