Srinagar: Salamabad Cross LoC Traders Union (SCLTU) on Monday threatened to embargo from March in case the government fails to revoke ban on trading of four main commonly bartered items.
Addressing the press conference here, President SCLTU Hilal Turkie said the Cross LoC traders are dismayed by the actions of trade facilitation officer, customs and quarantine departments by banning four main items Pistachio, Apple, Charmagaz and Anandana.
“If authorities did not revoke the recent order till February, we will close cross LoC trade,” he said.
SCLTU said the cancellation of these items has come as a shock to the LoC trading community and such reduction of item makes trade difficult. “Since the trade is barter and it is important to export and import items to clear the balances among the traders across, such cancelation has reduced the trade substantially and is on the verge of closure,” Turkie said.
SCLTU president termed the move as “conspiracy” in order to make cross border trader “one-sided” and ultimately put an end to it. “Every time a product is banned, it seems something is fishy in it,” he said. “Traders are told anything can be exported and only few things can be imported.”
“We wrote to government a couple of times but our issues were not addressed,” he added.
The Union demanded that a dedicated authority should be formed to manage cross border trade in order to streamline and enhance it. He sought setting up a hassle free single window system for the trade, e-commerce and digitization of LoC trade so that real time monitoring and evaluation of this barter trade can be done.
Turkie also requested government authorities of enhancement of security infrastructure including installation of CCTV cameras, full body truck scanners, X-ray machines.
He questioned the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufi that “if cross border trade was the dream of the former CM Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, has she ever wondered how traders run business in uncertain situations”.
“Mufti Sayeed in his short tenure conducted meeting with LoC traders several times and tried to address our issues but Mehbooba never wondered under what circumstances cross LoC traders are running business and what difficulties they face,” he said.
Turkie said government has not framed a policy for cross LOC traders regarding the GST due to which they face difficulties in getting the invoice.
