GST impact: People pile up food as industries halt in Jammu and Kashmir

“The essential supplies and stocks can last for one or two days. Some essential products like cold drinks have already exhausted with stockists in Jammu,” Chambers of Traders Federation (CTF) President Neeraj Anand told PTI here.

People have started stocking up on essential commodities in view of the crises caused by non-implementation of GST, which is being discussed in the State Assembly for implementation. “We are suffering huge losses every day. The government has to implement GST soon to avoid crises and hue and cry,” he said.

As per some officials of Lakanpur Inter-state Toll Plaza in Kathua district, there has been a great fall in trucks carrying supplies and goods to Jammu and Kashmir. The number of trucks crossing the toll plaza has come down to 200-300 from 2000 before July 1, they said.

In industrial areas like Jammu, Gangyal, Bari Brahama, Samba and Kathua, hundreds of industrial units have stopped production in view of bills and supply problems caused by non-implementation of GST in the state. “Almost entire industry in Jammu region is on halt. There is no production due to failure to implement GST in J&K,” prominent industrialist and member of Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) Annil Suri said. He said it has hit 6,000 industrial units in Jammu region.