Riyaz ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
People of summer capital’s Khunmoh – an area housing industries – are living a life span shorter than what other Srinagar people are living.
This revelation came during Question Hour of the on-going 2016-17 Budget Session of J&K Legislature.
Khunmoh is sub-urban area in south of summer capital of J&K and it houses an industrial estate. The cement consumption across J&K comes from this estate, essentially.
The area comes under ruling PDP’s Sonwar MLA, Mohammad Ashraf Mir. Mir was an MoS with late Mufti Sayeed led PDP-BJP government.
“The residents are living just 40-50 years of life,” Mir told the house, “the life span is getting shorter for the residents because of the pollution.”
Mir informed the Lower house that despite earning huge sums, the industrialists doing business in the area “have not spent a single penny” under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
“Around 1500 trucks of cement leave and enter Khunmoh but there is no work done for the development of the area by business men,” Mir alleged.
Mir demanded children’s park, hospital, road macadamization and a maternity ward to be taken up under CSR. Mir supported his argument by saying, “This is an industries rule.”
Responding to the concerns, the Industries Minister, Chandra Prakash Ganga, however, said, “Khunmoh kay log Maala maal hai.” (Khunmoh residents are wealthy). “I visisted the area at least twice.”
But this comment created buzz among Lawmakers but no one reacted.
“Every household has two-two vehicles,” Ganga said, “further, those who have trucks have formed a Union.”
Minister said that this Truck Union doesn’t allow non-Khunmoh truck to do business in the estate.
He assured the house that government will call a meeting with Industrialists soon. “Whatever Government has to do on developmental side, we will do and whatever is to be done under CSR, we will get it done,” Ganga ended.
