Kashmiri vendors come to city in droves

Falaknuma: Owing to bad weather conditions back home, the Kashmiri vendors, who are generally seen selling products like dry fruits in the Industrial Exhibition in Nampally in January and February, are surfacing on the city roads. Some of them who have turned up along with families are making both ends meet by selling the items at throw-away price in the city suburbs. It came to light that some of them have been staying for the past one month, most of them with families, who not only brought warm clothings, but also products like walnuts, almond and saffron (kesar). These men can be seen selling them on roadside between Phisalbanda and Chandrayangutta and also near Pahadishareef.

Speaking to The Hans India, one of the vendors, said that for the past one month about 40 families have camped near Falaknuma railway station. Most of them are natives of Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir and belong to Shia community. “About 10-15 vendors were selling dry fruits, the only means for earning money for the entire family,” said Mehraj Ahmed from the district. “While leaving our district we brought dry fruits like walnut, kesar, almonds etc., and selling here on footpath for half the market rate to support the families in camp. Later, all of us distribute the money among ourselves”, he added.

“About 400 people are staying at the camp on temporary tents set up on footpaths with the help of some locals, who are providing open spaces for temporary shelter. Locals are also helping us by providing food, daily utensils, cloths, blankets and ration etc,” said Shabbir, head of the camp. For the last two months, the prevailing condition at the Budgam district are not favorable, most of the residents have left and migrated to the safer places and other states for now. “When the condition becomes normal, we will leave the state and move to our native place,” he explained.

According to locals, most of them are well educated and are selling dry fruits on roadside to earn some money. “We enquired about them and provided space and helped them with food, blankets, ration. As the climatic conditions back-home are not suitable, on humanitarian grounds we helped them.,” said Mohammed Rahman, a resident. “When I came to know about these people living in the camp, I supported them by donating 50 kgs of rice, and some blankets etc.,” said Amjad, another resident. He also requested people to help these families.