Article 370

Countless manufacturing units in the once-thriving textile sector lie idle today, and 80% of the two lakh people directly and indirectly employed by the industry have returned home. The Kashmir clampdown may not be the only reason, but is making matters worse for sure.

A 11-member fact-finding team recently visited Srinagar among other places in Kashmir, and saw a ghost town in place of the picturesque, vibrant city that once was. The clampdown on essential services, mobility, communication and trade has made life in this ‘paradise’ an ordeal.

In the days following abrogation of Article 370, Srinagar became a stinking mess, as municipal staff were unable to report to work and mounds of garbage accumulated on streets. While proactive officers and safai karamcharis have managed to tide over the crisis in the face of odds, waste management in the city needs serious fixes for the long term.

Many Kashmiris across the country, especially students away from home, are struggling to cope with the consequences of the communication blackout; they need assistance, and not just financial. Here’s how we can stand with them at this hour.

Migrant Kashmiris working in other states have been unable to communicate with their families due to the communication blackout in the aftermath of the scrapping of Article 370 and reorganisation of the state. Shimla’s porters mirror the condition of Kashmiris around the country.