Devastated shopkeepers and stockists have begun to clear the mud-laced merchandise from their establishments as water levels recede in once bustling market places of flood-ravaged Srinagar city. Many shopkeepers fainted after shutters were pulled up. Their shops artistically decorated with hues and lights just two weeks ago looked like garbage dumps emanating stench and turbid waters.
“It is a huge tragedy. We were not able to save even a single garment. The loss is worth crores of rupees”, said Masood Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Abiguzar. Every inch of his four-story shopping complex was filled with high-quality trendy garments. The basement and the first floor are completely destroyed.
The plight of grocers and dry-fruit merchants is even worse. They have to invest further to clear their shops lest the stink makes the marketplaces miserable.
“I have employed labourers to clear the garbage. Everything is destroyed. I cannot watch the labourers filling their shovels with the destroyed merchandise that was my delight and honour two weeks back”, said Nazir Ahmad, a dry-fruit seller in Regal lane along the Resiency Road. Kashmir traders and manufacturers have said that goods worth a whopping 100,000 crore have been destroyed in the devastating floods in Kashmir, which swept away the Valley in the first week of September. They formed State Economic Rehabilitation Forum (SERF) to assess the damages and negotiate compensation and rehabilitation process with the Central and State Governments.
“All the goods worth thousands of crores in shops and godowns have destroyed and can only be disposed at dumping sites. Around one lakh shopkeepers have suffered huge losses and most of them are not insured”, Yasin Khan, a traders’ leader said.
We will have to see how to accommodate them,”
The SEPF will formulate a comprehensive damage assessment report and seek assistance from various quarters to bring the business of devastated community back on rails. “We will see how to approach the Central Government with our report on damage assessment,” Khan said.