By: Faizan Wani
Srinagar: The wholesale mutton dealers on Friday said they would end four month strike’ provided the government fixes mutton prices in consideration of its own rates and that of the fact-finding committees.
Mehraj-ud-Din Ganai, general secretary of the wholesale Mutton Dealers Association (WMDA) said the dealers too suffer the way common masses do in the wake of four months deadlock over mutton prices.
He said they want to resume their business as stalemate over the prices has taken toll on people ever since the government fixed rates of per kilogram mutton @ 480.
“If the government has fixed rates then why we are adamant on strike, why don’t we agree? We really do not want people to suffer; a lasting solution needs to be found to end the deadlock, if the government wants us to end strike, let it fix prices of mutton as its own assessment and that of the twin committees,” Ganai told reporters.
He said the fact-finding committee headed by Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) in its report submitted to the government has shown wholesale mutton @ 418.5 per kilogram while as the governments’ own committee has shown mutton per kilogram @ 497.
“The only way-out to end the stalemate is dialogue, we don’t want to suffer anymore as the government despite rates suggested by the fact-finding committees protracted the issue afresh. Let’s come to some conclusion. Let our retail sellers also open their shops as they too suffer for long,” he added—(KNO)