Srinagar: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Monday expressed resentment over the government’s decision to transfer the industrial land retrieved from HMT watch factory to Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The Police department is planning to build a housing colony on the retrieved land at Zainkot area.
“Besides adding to the militarization of Kashmir particularly of the industrial areas gives encouragement to the forces working against industrialization of the state more particularly of the valley,” said KCCI in a statement.
The Chamber added in the statement that they had proposed that the land should be turned into a ‘Gem and Jewelry’ park, a proposal which is pending since 2007.
“It may not be out of place to mention that the KCC&I had recommended that the chunk of land along with infrastructure created by erstwhile HMT should be concerted into a gem & Jewellery park. This proposal is pending since 2007.
“Besides Gem & Jewellery park we had advocated for a Gem & Jewellery institute for which the Ministry of Commerce, GoI had agreed that once the land is transferred to J&K Government the proposal will be considered by the government of India.”
The KCCI also informed that a proposal for a Textile Park was also advocated in 2009.
“Thousands of workers would have been employed in hundreds of small scale units. The said proposal is still pending with Government of J&K,” the statement added.
The Chamber further added, “We are at a loss with the above said textile park and Gem & Jewellery park in view that the state government has chosen the land for Police Housing Colony instead.
