The President, KCC&I Mr. Javid Ahmad Tenga has expressed resentment and said that it is unfortunate that the state government is contemplating to transfer industrial land retrieved from HMT Watch Factory, Zainakot to the police Department for housing colony. Besides adding to the militarization of Kashmir particularly of the industrial areas gives encouragement to the forces working against industrialization of the state more particularly of the valley. It may not be out of place to mention that the KCC&I had recommended that the chunk of land along with infrastructure created by erstwhile HMT for conversion into gem & Jewellery park. This proposal is pending since 2007wherein besides Gem & Jewellery park we had advocate for a Gem & Jewellery institute for which the Ministry of Commerce, GOI had agreed that once the land is transferred to J&K Government the proposal will be considered by the government of India .
It was also in the year 2009 for the same land an alternate proposal for a Textile Park was advocated where in thousands of workers would have been employed in hundreds of small scale units. The said proposal is still pending with Government of J&K.
We are at a loss with above said textile park/ Gem & Jewellery in view the state government has chosen the land for Police Housing Colony instead of above parks.
We support the Industrial Estate, Zainakot unit holders as well as FCIK in their demand of reversal of the state Government order and our organisation will support any institution demanding of the recovery the said land for the purpose of industrialisation.(KNO)