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| Valley's historic Match Factory loses battle for survival | | Under occupation of security forces since decades | | Javid A Malla
SRINAGAR, Oct 9 : Since 2008 when Omar Abdullah became Chief Minister, he had been reiterating that government jobs cannot be provided to every unemployed youth of the state.While his government has come up with initiatives to encourage educated youth to explore employment opportunities in private sector, it has failed to revolutionize the industrial sector to increase its intake capacity and sanitize it from adverse law and order situation. Such is an instance of Baramulla Matches Factory; the industrial unit has been buried under the occupation of Border Security Force since past two decades. Governmental apathy so far has kept the Industrialists of district away from thinking about the restoration of factory. In early 1930s this Match Factory used to provide something that traces the industrial skill and spirit of people of this district and then the unit was a successful industrial initiative.
Established in 1934 by Raja Daya Kishan at Kantbagh, here, it is believed that this Match Factory was first such enterprise in the entire north India. Unfortunately its flame failed to light homes for long. The entire factory and its premises are now under the occupation of security forces and attempts by successive regimes to revive the unit's glory has proved futile.
Till 1960 the match factory spread over 125 kanals had a smooth run, and it used to uphold hundreds of employees of district, who fed their families working here. After taken over by Jammu and Kashmir Industries, the fate of Match factory changed for the worse. Facing losses, the factory was provided on lease for 50 years to a Mumbai-based company 'WIMCO' Ltd against a sum of Rs 7 lakh and a yearly rent of Rs 25000.
After starting its operations the WIMCO manufactured matchboxes with brand name 'SHIP'. However, the poor policies of successive regimes did not allowed "SHIP" to flourish and instead blocked the supply raw material to the factory. Left limited, the WIMCO started purchasing raw material from the open market, which snatched its competitiveness.
Notwithstanding the tall claims of government, that security forces are being relocated from industrial sectors. The Locals as well as the entrepreneurs have many times demanded that forces may be relocated to any other place and the functioning of Factory be restored. Patron Citizens Forum Baramulla, Parvaiz Ahmad said, some time back he unofficially came to know that 60 kanals of land from Matches factory is wanted by Armed Police for establishment of Battalion headquarter. "Instead of relocating the BSF, other securities forces are aim to occupy some chunks. Government should look either for restoration of Matches Factory or vacation of said place for any civil development initiative" Ahmad Told Early times. In 1987 after facing huge losses the factory closed manufacturing Matches. "The defective government policy led to the closure of the factory and hundreds of employees were rendered jobless" rued Ahmad. Although the factory does not exit present but its name and location is still known among the people. "Any person who had to reach Kanth Bagh usually asks driver to drop him at Matches Factory. The name is usually spoken for destination. Though people intentionally have no work at Matches factory where entry is not allowed except for BSF personnel" said a traveler Mushtaq Ahmad.
Incidentally, after armed insurgency in Kashmir Valley, like other private establishments and public places that were forcibly taken under control by the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Forces, Border Security Force and other securities agencies. The Baramulla Matches Factory too was converted into a torture cell. Now since last more than two decades it continues to be under occupation of Border Security Force. |
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