Srinagar, Sept 16 — PDP leader Iltija Mufti on Monday called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and apprised him of the mounting crisis faced by Kashmir’s apple industry following the repeated closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
The highway, the Valley’s only all-weather road link with the rest of the country, has remained shut for days due to heavy rains and flash floods, leaving fruit-laden trucks stranded. Growers have expressed fears of huge losses as the produce risks rotting before reaching markets outside the Union Territory.
“Called on Hon’ble L-G Manoj Sinha ji to apprise him of the severe crisis crippling Jammu and Kashmir’s apple industry owing to the shutdown of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway,” Mufti said in a post on X.
She added that the LG assured her that steps would be taken to ensure the smooth movement of trucks to prevent further losses to the growers.The meeting came a day after apple growers and traders in the Valley staged protests, accusing the government of “inaction” and demanding immediate redressal of the crisis.
