Jammu, September 19: Shri Vikram Puri, Chairman of the Trade and Commerce body of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, has issued a strong appeal to the Central Government and the Lieutenant Governor of J&K to act urgently in the wake of the devastating floods that have paralyzed the region’s economy and created a cascading effect across multiple sectors.
In a detailed media interaction, Shri Puri underlined that the collapse of the Tawi bridge is not just a physical loss but a symbol of the fragile state of infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. He called for its immediate reconstruction along with the rapid restoration of damaged roads, electricity supply, irrigation canals, and other public assets. “Connectivity is the backbone of commerce. When it breaks, trade, industry, and daily life all collapse. Unless we act now, the long-term economic impact could be catastrophic,” he said.
Pointing to the recent closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for days, Shri Puri highlighted the massive financial shock it caused. Thousands of trucks laden with essential commodities, raw materials, and fruit were stranded, causing losses running into crores. “Horticulture, which contributes significantly to our GDP and sustains lakhs of families, is bleeding. Apples, walnuts, and pears worth crores are rotting by the roadside. Paddy fields have been submerged, destroying the earnings of an entire season. Gujjar and Bakarwal families have lost their cattle, the only means of survival. Without urgent compensation, these families will be pushed into extreme poverty,” he warned.
Shri Puri further pointed out that the crisis extended beyond agriculture and trade. “During the floods, vast parts of Jammu were left without safe drinking water because old and corroded pipelines collapsed. This must be a turning point. We urgently need a modernized water supply network, backed by flood-resilient designs, emergency storage systems, and replacement of outdated pipelines. Strengthening our water infrastructure is as critical as roads and bridges, because no society can function without reliable access to drinking water,” he stressed.
Turning to the industrial sector, Shri Puri said that the floods have added to the woes of already distressed micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Many units are struggling with halted production, damaged stocks, and shrinking demand. He demanded a comprehensive revival package including restructuring of existing loans, interest subventions, rationalization of electricity tariffs, and extension of GST deadlines. He further urged marketing support for local industries, particularly handicrafts and small manufacturers, to help them expand their footprint in national markets. “The MSME sector is the backbone of Jammu’s economy, employing lakhs of people, including women and youth. If these units collapse, unemployment and migration will rise dangerously,” he cautioned.
He also criticized the repeated exclusion of Jammu from the visits of parliamentary standing committees, despite the region housing the majority of industrial units. “Selective attention to one region while ignoring the other only deepens economic and political imbalances. Jammu must be heard with equal weight in policy consultations,” he remarked.
Appealing directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Shri Puri said, “Relief cannot be an afterthought. Flood-hit families, farmers, Gujjars, traders, and industries cannot wait for endless assessments and files moving between departments. Relief must be immediate, compensation must be transparent, and rebuilding must begin now.”
Concluding his remarks, Shri Puri said that while the people of Jammu and Kashmir have always shown remarkable resilience in times of adversity, resilience alone cannot substitute for governance and timely intervention. “Resilience must be matched with responsibility. The central government must act swiftly, not only to restore infrastructure but also to prevent a long-term economic collapse. The people need a roadmap of recovery, not just promises. What is at stake is not just our present economy but the very trust of our citizens in governance.”