Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday assured traders affected by the recent fire incidents in Jammu that the government would extend all possible assistance to them.
Abdullah gave the assurance during his interaction with a BJP delegation comprising Member of Parliament from Jammu Jugal Kishore Sharma and several Legislators including Sham Lal Sharma, Vikram Randhawa, Narinder Singh Raina, Yudhvir Sethi and Arvind Gupta who called on him and discussed the recent fire incidents in Jammu city and the situation of the affected traders, an official spokesman said.
The public representatives apprised the Chief Minister of the damage caused by the fires at Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station, the warehouse near Nehru Market and Pahari Mohalla.
They highlighted the difficulties being faced by the affected traders and shopkeepers and sought financial assistance for the affected traders and shopkeepers, an official spokesman said.
Abdullah had already taken prompt cognisance of the fire incidents. He had personally visited Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station to assess the damage and interact with the affected shopkeepers.
He had also deputed the Deputy Chief Minister and a Cabinet Minister to visit the Warehouse Nehru Market to take stock of the situation and assess the losses suffered by the traders.
Choudhary Mohammad Akram, an independent MLA from Surankote in Poonch, also called on the Chief Minister and discussed developmental issues and public welfare concerns pertaining to his constituency.
Meanwhile, a BJP spokesman said the party delegation submitted a four-point memorandum to the chief minister, seeking urgent government intervention and a time-bound rehabilitation plan for the affected trading community.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the BJP leaders pointed out that the recent fires had gutted dozens of shops at Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station on October 25 and eight shops and godowns at Warehouse Market, and one shop at Pahadian Mohalla on Sunday night, leaving several families facing severe financial hardship.
The BJP delegation demanded immediate financial assistance of Rs 15 lakh per affected shop or godown from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, stressing that traders who have lost their shops, stocks and essential equipment cannot be left struggling for survival while awaiting lengthy administrative procedures.
The leaders urged the government to ensure prompt verification of losses and speedy disbursement of relief so that affected businesses could restart without further delay, the spokesman said.
He said the memorandum also sought a one-time relaxation of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) norms, enabling willing MLAs from Jammu to sanction appropriate amounts from their respective allocations for immediate relief through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Taking up the long-pending concerns of Warehouse Market traders, the BJP leaders further demanded identification and allotment of suitable land for godowns, along with government sanction for their construction within a specified timeframe.
The delegation also called for a time-bound fire safety audit of commercial establishments across Jammu, particularly densely populated markets and storage areas.
It demanded installation of fire alarms, extinguishers, hydrants and other preventive facilities, besides inspections of electrical safety and emergency access arrangements to prevent such tragedies in the future, the spokesman said.
