Affected by demolition drive, shopkeepers stage protest in Tral, demand rehabilitation

BASHARAT RASHID

Tral, 25 September: Shopkeepers, who were affected by the demolition drive, in the Tral sub-district have staged a protest demonstration on Friday, demanding immediate rehabilitation.

The protesting shopkeepers were chanting slogans and said that the government has left them jobless.

They said that they been constantly moving from pillar to post in search of rehabilitation but nothing is being done to  safeguard their rights.

“We have taken a loan from the banks and have to pay back the liability to them but, government has failed to rehabilitate us, after demolishing our shops. Now, we are being forced to work as laborers now,” Gh Rasool, a shopkeeper said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the shops were demolished in main Bus Stand Tral, six months back in March, following which more than fifty shopkeepers became jobless, who have been facing a lot of inconveniences since then.

While chanting slogans unanimously, the victim shopkeepers have demanded immediate rehabilitation from higher-ups.

President Trade Union Tral, Ishfaq Ahmad Kar, also demanded immediate rehabilitation for the victim shopkeepers and said that families of all the 54 shopkeepers suffer on daily basis.

Kar further said that government particularly LG Manoj Sinha should look into the matter and ensure a better future for them.