Fabrics worth 40 crore gathering dust in godowns

Surat: Hundreds of textile traders are in trouble as fabrics worth Rs 40 crore are gathering dust in the rented godowns, sealed by Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) here.
Around 60 godowns of the textile goods transporters located at Bhatena and Kinnari Talkies on Ring Road were sealed by the civic body for flouting rules and causing traffic jam here on Sunday.
The civic body has laid down the condition to open the seals of the godowns. The transporters have been asked to pay a fine amount of Rs 26,000 per godown and submit a letter on the stamp paper stating that they will shift elsewhere before March 31.
Textile traders associations and Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) have started contacting transporters to accept the terms laid down by the civic body in order to get the the fabric stock worth crores of rupees lying unattended to in the godowns released.
FOSTTA member Jay Lal said, "We have asked the transporters to comply with the condition laid down by the civic body, so that the goods could be released and dispatched to their destinations. There are many traders who may suffer a huge loss if the godowns are not opened early."
Surat Textile Goods Transporters Association president Yuvraj Deshle said, "We are trying to convince the transporters to pay the fine amount and give the undertaking that they will close the godowns before March 31."
The civic body had sealed the godowns in Bhatena area on Sunday alleging traffic jams and other traffic-related issues.
Sources said the action was taken after municipal commissioner Milind Torawane was reportedly stuck in traffic when he was going to attend a public function.Over 400 trucks supply textile goods worth Rs 70 crore every day to various destinations across the country.