Srinagar, Aug. 3 -- After the People's Democratic Party's Iltija Mufti, a ruling National Conference (NC) leader has also raised the issue of alleged closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway (NH-44) during fruit harvest time in Kashmir. NC MLA Riyaz Ahmad Khan suspected a conspiracy in the frequent closure of the highway during the apple harvest time. "It is a conspiracy. See the weather is pleasant, and the rains are not that heavy. Another proof is that the yatra is also going on and (their convoys) also have similar large vehicles. If the road conditions are not considered bad for them, why are they deemed unsuitable for fruit-laden trucks?," Khan said. "This is not the first time this has happened. We have been experiencing this since last year. The losses suffered by our traders and growers last year were unaccountable, yet no compensation was provided, since the local administration did not receive support from the central government," he said. The Srinagar-Jammu national highway was closed by the traffic authorities on Friday and Saturday owing to the "restoration work" between Jhakheni in Udhampur district and Banihal in Ramban district. A traffic police official said that the highway traffic was open on Sunday but the fruit trucks will be allowed from Monday. Khan urged the central government to intervene. "This should be stopped and the transport ministry should look into this if they want to save the economy here," he said. He said if the road closure continues, the fruit economy will perish in Kashmir. "Today it is fruit season. If this continues like this, our economy will finish off. Farmers who have invested a lot in high density orchards will suffer and nobody will think to come into this field again," he said. On Saturday, PDP leader Iltija had compared the highway closure to 'economic apartheid'. "Every year the hard work of countless Kashmiri apple growers goes down the drain simply because the Qazigund Highway is blocked for weeks on end. They watch tonnes of apple rot & perish. This breaks their backs also because of hefty loans that they cannot repay. This economic apartheid is simply unacceptable," she said. She had tagged roads minister Nitin Gadkari. "@nitin_gadkari ji Wouldn't you agree this is grave injustice to them? Request you to introduce a green corridor.@CM_JnK please start freight train & other measures to introduce that they don't suffer," she said....