Omar orders immediate relief to fire victims of Jammu’s Ware-House, Jitendra Singh, Mehbooba visit spot
The Chief Minister on Monday directed the district administration to ensure immediate relief and extend all necessary assistance to the affected persons.
He also instructed the administration to undertake a thorough assessment of the damage and take appropriate measures to address the needs of those affected.
A massive fire broke out at the Ware House near Bikram Chowk last evening, spreading to several adjoining structures, including business establishments.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, today visited Kamla Market in the Warehouse area of Jammu, where several shops were gutted in a fire that broke out on Sunday night during Diwali celebrations.
The Minister visited the affected premises, inspected the extent of damage and took stock of the situation following the incident. He interacted with traders whose shops were damaged in the blaze and heard their concerns regarding the losses suffered.
Dr. Jitendra Singh was briefed by the district administration, led by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Ms. Anusiya Jamwal, on the circumstances surrounding the incident and the measures taken by the administration and Fire and Emergency Services to contain the fire.
Members of the Ware House Traders’ Association, led by Deepak Gupta, apprised the Minister of the sequence of events and the difficulties faced during the incident. They also acknowledged the prompt response of the Fire and Emergency Services, stating that timely intervention helped prevent loss of life.
Expressing relief that no casualties were reported despite the scale of the fire, Dr. Singh said that the incident underlined the need for greater preparedness and effective preventive mechanisms, particularly in crowded commercial establishments and fire-sensitive locations.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also emphasised the need to strengthen institutional preparedness to deal with fire emergencies in commercial areas, where closely located shops and business establishments can pose challenges for emergency response teams. He called for devising a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) specifically for fire-sensitive locations to ensure a swift, coordinated and effective response in the event of such incidents.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed deep grief over the massive fire incident at Bikram Chowk, Jammu, conveying his heartfelt sympathies to all those affected.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday visited the fire-ravaged Nehra market here and sought adequate financial assistance from the government for traders who suffered massive losses in the blaze.
Expressing solidarity with the affected traders, Mufti said they would not be able to recover from the losses or restart their businesses without financial support from the government.
Describing the incident as a horrifying experience, she said Diwali had turned into a dark and terrifying night for the traders.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and state cabinet minister Javed Rana on Monday visited the fire-hit Nehru Market warehouse, where shopkeepers and affected people raised concerns about massive losses and demanded adequate compensation and accountability.
The fire reportedly originated in one of the shops and spread rapidly to adjoining establishments, with the presence of large quantities of edible oil adding to the intensity of the blaze.
The government representatives assured the affected people that the incident would be investigated, including the alleged delay in the arrival of fire and emergency services, while the losses would be assessed to determine the assistance to be provided to the victims.
BJP Jammu & Kashmir Spokesperson Parimoksh Seth has demanded immediate compensation for the traders, shopkeepers and other affected persons who suffered heavy losses in the fire incidents at Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station and the Warehouse area of Nehru Market, Jammu.