BJP seeks Rs 10 lakh compensation for traders hit by Jammu fire
Traders in the warehouse market have called for a shutdown until Wednesday following a fire on Diwali night.
BJP leaders met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday to submit a four-point memorandum seeking Rs 10 lakh in compensation for each shopkeeper affected by a recent fire. According to The Tribune, the party also requested the construction of a new warehouse and improved fire safety measures for commercial buildings in the region.
The memorandum includes a demand for the funds to be provided from the Chief Minister Relief Fund. MLA Sham Lal Sharma, who heads a six-member committee formed by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, said that MPs and MLAs would also contribute an amount from their constituency development funds to the affected traders.
Warehouse-Nehru Market Federation president Deepak Gupta stated that the market will remain closed until Wednesday. Gupta said that while timely action by the Fire and Emergency Services Department could have limited the damage, he appealed to leaders not to politicise the tragedy.
The fire destroyed or damaged ten shops dealing in edible oils, brooms and cotton. The Fire and Emergency Services Department said it responded promptly to the incident, noting that 18 fire tenders were mobilised and that 60 fire incidents were reported across Jammu province during Diwali.
The department clarified that the warehouse market held grocery and ration items, such as ghee and cooking oil. It stated that coordinated efforts between the police, SDRF, district administration and fire services helped prevent the fire from spreading further.