Leaders seek compensation for traders after Jammu warehouse fire
Former chief ministers and a Union Minister visited the fire-hit Nehru Market to demand financial aid for affected wholesale traders.
A major fire at the Nehru Market near Bikram Chowk in Jammu late Sunday night gutted several shops and godowns, according to reports from Daily Excelsior, Kashmir Observer and ANI. The blaze affected a historic commercial hub known for the wholesale trade of foodgrains, edible oil and essential commodities.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh visited the site on Monday and expressed relief that no lives were lost, though he acknowledged complaints regarding the promptness of the fire services. Singh said the government would request the state government to explore special compensation for traders, noting that commercial properties are not covered under SDRF rules.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also visited the market and called for government financial assistance. She stated that traders would struggle to restart their businesses without support and questioned if the firefighting vehicles deployed were large enough to manage the blaze.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed solidarity with the affected families and urged the administration to assess losses and ensure rehabilitation. He also stressed the importance of reviewing fire safety arrangements in commercial markets.
Deepak Gupta, President of the Traders Federation Warehouse Nehru Market, alleged that the Fire and Emergency Services department was negligent. He stated that traders had called for a market shutdown in protest, claiming that the livelihoods of 290 families were destroyed at Shiv Market.
Jammu and Kashmir Minister Javed Ahmed Rana said the local administration has been instructed to conduct a proper assessment of the damage to determine possible assistance.