Karnah, September 8 (JKNS): A significant and constructive meeting between the Beopar Mandal Karnah and the local administration was held under the chairmanship of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Karnah, Riyaz Ahmad (KAS), to discuss various issues confronting the trading community. The meeting was attended by the BDO Karnah Mudassir Sikandar, SHO Karnah Javaid Jan, members of the Beopar Mandal committee, traders from Tangdhar Market, and representatives of the barber community.
During the meeting, several issues concerning the business community were discussed in detail, with deliberations held on possible measures for their resolution.
At the outset, the Beopar Mandal and traders welcomed the provision of two sanitation vehicles by the government for maintaining cleanliness in Tangdhar Market and ensuring timely disposal of waste. The traders said that the availability of these vehicles would help improve the overall sanitation system in the market.
The Beopar Mandal raised several important issues before the SDM, including the availability of public toilets, private parking facilities, supply of vegetables, availability of essential commodities, and transportation timings.
Regarding the toilet facility, SDM Karnah informed the traders that washrooms have already been constructed in the market. He said that if any responsible person comes forward to take charge of their maintenance and management, the administration is ready to hand them over for proper upkeep.
The issue of parking was also discussed at length. The Beopar Mandal stressed the need for better arrangements for private parking in Tangdhar Market. The SDM assured the traders that the matter would be taken up with the concerned authorities and efforts would be made to find an appropriate solution.
The meeting also discussed the issue of vehicles arriving in Karnah from Srinagar and other areas to sell vegetables. The Beopar Mandal sought appropriate arrangements to safeguard the interests of local traders while also ensuring that the general public gets vegetables at reasonable prices.
However, social activist and columnist Mohammad Hafeez Mir, journalist Wasim Baba and other social figures said that the prices of vegetables and other essential commodities in Karnah are increasingly becoming unaffordable for the common people. They pointed out that if vehicles coming from outside are supplying vegetables at comparatively lower prices, it benefits local consumers, particularly economically weaker sections. They urged the administration to take effective measures to monitor the prices of essential commodities.
They also expressed concern over the quality and storage of meat being sold in the market. They alleged that some shopkeepers may be selling meat that is several days old, while the absence of adequate cold-storage or refrigeration facilities increases the risk of meat becoming unfit for consumption. They urged the concerned department to conduct regular inspections of meat shops and ensure strict compliance with hygiene and food-safety standards.
Meanwhile, the President of Beopar Mandal Karnah raised the issue of timings for vehicles supplying milk and chicken. He said that these vehicles are reportedly allowed to leave Chowki Bal at around 7:30 a.m., resulting in delays in the supply of essential food items. He requested that the matter be taken up with the concerned authorities and that the vehicles be permitted to leave earlier in the morning.
Similarly, the Beopar Mandal raised the issue of load carriers travelling from Chowki Bal towards Tangdhar being stopped after around 7 p.m. The traders demanded that during the summer season, vehicles carrying essential goods should be allowed to proceed from Chowki Bal towards Tangdhar until 10 or 11 p.m., so that essential supplies can reach Karnah in a timely manner.
The traders said that during winter, heavy snowfall and road closures frequently disrupt Karnah’s road connectivity. Therefore, during the summer months, when roads remain open, reasonable relaxation in the movement timings of vehicles carrying essential commodities should be provided to ensure uninterrupted supplies.
The President of the Beopar Mandal also appealed to Haji Sahib to take up these issues of the trading community with the higher authorities so that long-pending concerns could be addressed effectively.
SDM Karnah Riyaz Ahmad listened attentively to all the issues and suggestions put forward by the traders and assured them that genuine concerns related to the public and business community would be taken up with the concerned departments and authorities on a priority basis. He said that the administration would extend every possible cooperation to address the problems faced by the trading community.
The meeting concluded in a cordial, positive and constructive atmosphere. The Beopar Mandal committee and traders expressed gratitude to the administration for providing the two sanitation vehicles and termed the initiative a welcome step. They expressed hope that tangible progress would also be made soon on the other issues raised during the meeting.
On the occasion, President Beopar Mandal Karnah [President’s Name] thanked SDM Karnah and the administration, stating that listening seriously to the concerns of the trading community and assuring them of appropriate action was a positive step.(JKNS)
