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| Stranded valley bound truckers eagerly waiting for opening of National Highway | | Shopkeepers charging exorbitantly, allege drivers | | G S Asgotra
Jammu, Sept 11: Nearly three hundred kilometers away from his house, Showkat Ahmed of Pulwama, unaware of his family whereabouts, has been impatiently waiting along with his stranded truck, near Narwal market for the last eight days, for opening of Jammu Srinagar National Highway so that he would be able to get a word about his loved ones.
On one hand he is little worried about the items, laden in his truck but at the same time he was more concerned about the family, which is still reportedly trapped in water after devastating floods wreck havoc in valley around a week back. Shokat Ahmed is among the hundreds of Kashmiri borne truckers, who are eagerly waiting for opening of highway, so that they would be able to visit their houses.
"On Second day when catastrophe hit valley, my wife called me and asked to return as soon as possible. At that time I was in Delhi and without taking any break in around 500 kilometers route, we reached Jammu but the road was closed and since last one week I am not able to contact my family", he said.
Another trucker Washir Ali says that we always stood outside the shops and watch the television, so that we will see our village or family but failed to get any glimpse or report about our village.
"On one hand we are very much worried about the well being of our family members but some shopkeepers at the Narwal area are charging exorbitantly for grocery items", Showkat Ahmed said, adding that for the last few days, they had not got the water to take bath. Another truck driver, hailing from Kashmir valley Waheed Ahmed said, "We are very much disappointed by the government because for the last around ten days we along with truck are stranded near Bypass road, Malik Market Jammu. With each passing day we are running short of money but the price of all commodities is increasing", he claimed, adding that these grocery store owners have been exploiting the truck drivers.
"Even to cook food, we need water and a lady nearby is charging Rs. 10 for a pot of water", another driver claimed, adding majority of drivers were running short of money.
The further informed that the drivers of trucks laden with vegetables, fruit items, eggs, poultry items beside other easily perishable items, were more worried. "Many of them have sold the fruit in Jammu market at cheaper rates, while some truckers are selling poultry items by himself on cheaper rates", they said, adding that it was a huge loss for truck drivers and the loss burden must be wore by truck drivers.
They further said that despite the announcements that the government and some social activists have been arranging food and drinking water facilities for stranded passengers, but majority of truck drivers were deprived of the same. The truckers appealed state government and especially the divisional commissioner Jammu to make available drinking water facilities, as the one tanker provided by PHE has been proving insufficient for them. |
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