JMC-JDA dispute affects business of cracker sellers

JMC-JDA dispute affects business of cracker sellers Archit Watts/TNS

Workers busy setting up cracker stalls at Prem Nagar in Jammu. Tribune photo

Jammu, October 18
With just a week left for Diwali, the stalls of firecrackers are still not in sight anywhere in the city. The reason is dispute between the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) over the allotment of land to the cracker sellers.
Though the JMC has allotted a ground to the cracker sellers at Prem Nagar after taking Rs 30,000 from each, yet the land, which originally belongs to the JDA, has become a matter of dispute as the JDA claims that the rent should be paid to them. As a result, the cracker sellers have become the victims suffering loss to their business.
“We have paid Rs 30,000 for the use of this land till Diwali. But the dispute between the JMC and the JDA has been causing us lot of inconvenience. No one is ready to provide facilities like electricity, water and sanitation here. In the absence of these basic amenities, we are unable to open the stalls,” said OP Sadhotra, president, Jammu Crackers’ Association.
He added, “Earlier the authorities allowed us to sell crackers at the Parade Ground. But this year, taking some precautionary measures, the site has been changed. The JMC has also increased the rent from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000. But nothing has been done in the name of publicity.”
During a visit to the ground at Prem Nagar, children were found playing cricket and hardly anything has been done in the name of sanitation, water and electricity. Heaps of garbage were also stinking.
“The administration has only erected the electricity poles, but there is no wiring. Our business has already been affected. How can we even think of good business in such conditions?” asked, Bansi Lal Sodhi, a wholesaler.
He added, “The Deputy Commissioner should visit here to know the ground reality. The cracker-laden trucks cannot even enter this ground. This is totally a misfit place for this purpose.”
Repeated attempts to contact the Commissioner, JMC, SC Sawhney, proved futile. Sanjeev Verma, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, said, “There was some dispute between the two agencies -- JMC and JDA -- but now it has been sorted out. We have allotted the land to the cracker sellers at a very nominal price.”
“Parade Ground is a residential area, so we changed the location this year. All efforts will be made to provide all facilities to these stall owners,” added Verma.