| 'Rly authorities playing into hands of cement importers' by Mafia on 19 December, 2012 - 06:00 AM | ||
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 Mafia | 'Rly authorities playing into hands of cement importers' on 19 December, 2012 - 06:00 AM | |
AMRITSAR: Indian exporters of spices, machinery and other goods to Pakistan via rail route are blaming railway authorities for playing into the hands of influential cement importers' lobby and deliberately ignoring their interests.The waiting list for wagons have crossed 2,200 mark and to add to their woes, the diversion of export of soybean via land route has severely affected export of fresh vegetables which has resulted in waiting period of clearance of trucks loaded with perishable goods to three to five days.Following recovery of heroin and ammunition concealed in cement consignments from Pakistan in recent past, the importers have stopped getting cement through rail route and since then exporters have been crying for supply of wagons by the railway department."There was no problem of wagons before cement import from Pakistan came to halt following recovery of narcotics and ammunition, but now we are not getting wagons to export our goods," rued Federation of Karyana and Dry Fruit Commercial Association president Anil Mehra. He said exporters had several rounds of meetings with railway officials, but to no avail. He said goods over Rs 500 crore were stacked in godowns in want of wagons. The problems further aggravated after soybean exporters started export via land route."Another exporter Nitin Arora said they have to suffer losses as perishable goods destroy early. A few exporters now use Samjhauta Express for exports since there were no wagons available to them, he said. | ||