Srinagar, November 16, 2011: The Indian paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has occupied the major chunk of land in the Sopore Industrial Estates.
Till date, nearly 60 per cent of the Sopore Industrial estate, established in 1972 on 80 kannals of the land, is occupied by the CRPF as a result large chunk of the estate land is defunct since December 7, 1989.
Vice President of the Federation Chamber of Industries, Kashmir (FCIK) Javed Bhatt in a media interview said that in the Sopore Industrial estate area, 19 units started in its early phase, which further increased to 36 in 1987-88 and out of which 18 prime units of the estate were occupied by the forces for last 21 years. “These 18 units were meant for manufacturing of nails, joinery, plastic shoes, rolling shatter, soaps, candles, barbed wires and channeling fences,” added Bhat.
The FCIK vice president said that Governor N N Vohra had assured them last year that the industrial estate would be freed from the forces but the land was still under their occupation.
“There are other estate lands also which are under occupation. If the authority vacates armed forces from the area, at least 500 entrepreneurs can establish theirs units. The problem of unemployment can also be solved,” Bhat added. News agencies RK