Kashmir Orchardists Seek Halt to Cold Storage Project

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By Syed Sammar Mehdi

The fruit trees in Lassipora, south Kashmir, need sunlight, water and clean air to produce a good harvest. But orchard owners in the village fear that a proposed commercial cold storage facility could take away some of the very conditions their trees depend on.

The facility is planned in a low-lying agricultural area of Pulwama, close to Government School Lassipora, private Mehboob ul Alam School and several fruit orchards. 

Residents, orchard owners and parents have approached the Deputy Commissioner, asking the administration to stop the construction.

“This will ruin our orchard,” an orchardist said, voicing the fears of families who depend on fruit cultivation for their income.

Their main concern is the height of the proposed building. 

Fruit trees need eight to 10 hours of direct sunlight daily for healthy growth. Residents fear that the structure will cast long shadows over nearby orchards, blocking morning and afternoon sunlight.

“A lack of sunlight could affect fruit size, colour, sweetness and overall quality,” another grower said. “Trees may also produce fewer fruits, leaving us with produce that fetches lower prices or becomes difficult to sell.”

The residents have raised concerns about the facility’s cooling equipment, too. 

“Large condenser units release heat, which they fear could change local temperatures and affect pollination and fruit production,” said a resident part of the petition.

Water is another concern, as the facility is expected to use deep tube wells, and residents fear that heavy groundwater extraction could lower the water table. 

“This could leave nearby orchards without enough irrigation water and affect drinking water supplies at the schools,” DC Pulwama was told by the petitioners. 

The petition also warns that reduced sunlight could leave orchards damp and create conditions for fungal diseases such as scab, powdery mildew and root rot. “Pest attacks could increase, with infections spreading to neighbouring healthy trees.”

Residents say the project also raises questions about land-use rules. 

They allege that the site was converted into a high-density orchard a few years ago and that its owner received government subsidies worth lakhs of rupees for the development.

They want the administration to examine how land developed for horticulture could now be used for a commercial industrial facility.

The proximity of two schools has added to their concerns. 

Residents fear that heavy machinery, condenser units and backup generators will create constant noise, disrupting classrooms. Trucks carrying goods could also raise dust, exposing children to respiratory problems, including asthma.

They argue that placing a heavy commercial facility so close to schools could violate land-use and educational safety norms and put children’s health at risk.

In their petition, the residents have asked Deputy Commissioner Pulwama to direct the Pollution Control Board, Education Department and Horticulture Department to inspect the site jointly. They have also sought the cancellation of any provisional permissions, No Objection Certificates and Change of Land Use clearances granted to the project.

The document has handwritten signatures of residents and concerned people, along with stamps identifying the village Sarpanch and the Chairman of the Alaqai Waqf Committee, Shah-hora, Pulwama.

The dispute raises wider questions about the use of agricultural land in Kashmir, where thousands of families depend on horticulture. Cold storage facilities help preserve fruit and reduce post-harvest losses, but, the growers say, their location needs careful thought when orchards and schools are nearby.

The proposed project, Lassipora’s residents fear, could damage their orchards, undo years of hard work and threaten their livelihoods.

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