Give solution or face protests: Traders

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 10

The Federation of Jalandhar Industrial and Traders’ Association has given an ultimatum of a month to the state government that in this period if the government won’t give attention towards the dying industry, they (traders and manufacturers) would start protesting against the government.

President of the association Gursharan Singh said in a clear-cut message, he had told PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar who was in the city on Monday that if their problems would not be listened to, then they would show the results in the next elections.

“Asi pichli sarkar vi badalti si, hun je kuch nai kitta, te tuhanu vi badal ditta jaayega’ (We had voted for you and you came in power, if our problems remain the same, then we vote you out of power too),” said Gursharan.

In a conversation with Jakhar, members of the association told him that none of the MLAs listen to them. “Asi dasde aa enna nu apne dukh, eh kehnde ne koi gal nahi royi challo (Whenever we try to tell the MLAs our problems, they do not pay heed and do not even care),” they said.

The president said it was not for the first time that the traders and manufacturers were raising these issues, but who cares,”he asked.

One of the Rubber Footwear Industry Manufacturers said during the 10 years of the SAD-BJP regime, the number of rubber footwear units came down from 400 to 100.

Punjab’s rubber industry is concentrated in Jalandhar, which had over 400 rubber footwear units. These have now been reduced to around 100.

The GST on”raw materials is 18 per cent, but on finished goods such as rubber footwear, it is only 5 per cent. “Sarkar 13 per cent har transaction naal apni jeb vich pa laindi hai, jo asi uhna agge mangan vaste fariyada kari jane aa (The difference of 13 per cent is being kept by the government with it for which we are requesting and begging them). What are we asking for? Its’ our own money, we haven’t even asked for interest,” the manufacturers rued.

“The difference of rates in the GST on raw material and finished goods is troubling the manufactures and drying up their working capital, thus making almost impossible for them to continue manufacturing,” they members rued.

Another trader said they were left with no other work but to constantly ask for refunds.

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