Valley unrest unsettles Ludhiana hosiery

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 24

Trouble in the Kashmir valley has hit hard the woollen manufacturers of Ludhiana. For the manufacturers, Kashmir valley is one of the best markets to sell their material.

“This is one market where demand for winter wear remains round the year because of the inflow of tourists in the valley,” said Venod Thapar, chairman of Knitwear Manufacturers Club, Ludhiana.

But due to the curfew, which remained for several weeks at various places Kashmir, the supply of winter wear could not be made to the Valley. Though things have improved a bit in the past some days, truckers are not prepared to take material to the troubled areas.

“Huge stock of woolen clothes has piled up in factories due to this reason,” said another manufacturer.

Apart from jackets, sweaters, caps and gloves, the Ludhiana manufacturers also prepare thermal wear. “In the higher reaches of Kashmir valley, winter begins early,” said Sunil Dutt, another supplier of warm clothes to J&K. The wholesale and retail dealers at Srinagar and other places in the valley start stocking clothes in August and September. However, because of the trouble during these months, most of the wholesale dealers in the valley were unable to procure stock from Ludhiana.

The payment of most of the manufacturers is also stuck up due to the hostile situation in Kashmir valley. “Some of the manufactures, who had supplied warm clothes early this year, have not received payments,” Thapar said.

“To add to our woes, the Excise and Taxation Department is asking us to complete tax related documents, such as the filling of the Form VII etc. When we are already facing trouble due to incomplete payments and piling up of stocks, the authorities concerned should take all these circumstances into consideration,” Thapar added.

As the situation is limping back to normalcy in the valley, the truckers may gather courage to transport the material in the days to come. “As of now, the manufactures are facing a difficult time,” another supplier said.