Fruit growers fear labour migration from Kashmir

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, October 18

The killings of two UP workers in Shopian district on Tuesday has triggered fear of migration of non-local labourers among agriculturalists and industrialists in Kashmir. Manish Kumar and Ram Sagar of UP died after terrorists hurled grenades inside their room.

Can’t do sans them

We can’t work without migrant labourers. They are running the industry. Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, president, Kashmir Chamber of commerce & industry

Condemning the act, fruit growers and industry leaders said if migrants returned to their native places, industrial and construction activities would come to a standstill.

Fayaz Ahmad Malik, president, Sopore Fruit Mandi, said mainly non-local workers were employed in fruit markets for lifting and packing. “We feel threatened as the gruesome killings could result in their migration, which will be disastrous for Kashmir…it is already facing so many problems. We have assured workers that if they feel unsafe, we will provide them safer places to stay,” said Malik.

In July, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had informed Parliament that 28 migrant workers had been killed in Kashmir since 2017. The Valley has been witnessing targeted killings for the past many months.

The J&K Labour Department has no figure of the migrant workers employed in different industries in the Valley.

Abdul Rashid War, Labour Commissioner of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, said there was no Act that said the department had to register the migrant labourers. “The workers have to register voluntarily. On the other hand, interstate workers coming to work here are supposed to be registered through their contractor or the employee,” he added.

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