Traders' strike affects Kashmir Valley

Srinagar, Aug 9: Normal life in the Kashmir Valley was disrupted today due to a bandh called by Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), an amalgam of traders' bodies in the region. Shops and business establishments across the Valley remained closed due to the bandh called by KEA to press for its demands, officials said.

Public transport facilities were also severely affected due to the strike. However, school buses and some private vehicles could be seen plying the roads in the city and other parts of the Valley, the officials said.

KEA has been demanding inclusion of revocation of additional taxes on property, power and water, end to the exploitation of the state's natural resources, revocation of new VAT return forms and immediate ban on movement of tourist buses from outside Jammu and Kashmir.

It is also demanding better facilities for traders involved in cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade, a KEA spokesman said.

He said the alliance had chalked out a peaceful programme to bring to notice of the people the demands of traders, transports, industrialists and tourism bodies.

"We have met various government representatives in the past few months to put forth our demands but the government paid no heed forcing us to pour on the roads," he said.

KEA called for a bandh on Monday after over a dozen of its members were detained by police during a march of members of various trade, industries, transport and tourism bodies.

PTI