The Federation of Surat textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) has urged the state government to remove the textile markets falling in Salabatpura, Mahidharpura and Limbayat areas in Surat from the purview of Disturbed Areas Act, as it was impacting business.

The Disturbed Areas Act allows a district collector to designate a particular area of a city or town as a “disturbed area”, on the basis of the history of communal riots in the area.

The collector can allow sale or renting of immovable assets like property in such areas if an application is made by the owner or seller and renter or buyer of the property.

In a letter to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, FOSTTA mentioned that traders are facing a lot of hurdles in renting shops in textile markets of these areas, as they have to obtain a compulsory ‘Ashantdhara’ certificate.

ChampalalBothra, General Secretary, FOSTTA, said, textile traders have to spend Rs 8,000 for getting the necessary documents and also have to pay for a lawyer to prepare documents.

It takes around a month to get the Ashantdhara documents made and the traders also have to produce other required documents like the 11-month rent agreement, he added

Bothra highlighted that this plight is mostly being faced by medium and small traders, as they have to visit the collector’s office regularly to obtain such documents and can apply for GST numberonly after the rent agreement has been made