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Jammu warehouse market fire: BJP calls on CM, seeks ₹10L each for affected shopkeepers
BJP MLA from Jammu north, Sham Lal Sharma endorsed a probe into the two fire incidents and alleged delays on the part of the fire and emergency services department
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After facing the wrath of angry shopkeepers at the warehouse market on Monday, a BJP delegation comprising five party MLAs and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma called on chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday, submitting a four-point memorandum that included the primary demand for immediate compensation of ₹10 lakh each to the affected shopkeepers of Shiv Market and Warehouse Market.
Talking to reporters after meeting the CM, the BJP MLA from Jammu north, Sham Lal Sharma, said, “We met the CM and submitted a four point memorandum. The first and foremost demand is an immediate relief of ₹10 lakh each to the affected shopkeeper under relief and rehab funds followed by second demand to relax CDF rules enabling BJP MLAs to provide monetary help to the affected shopkeepers so that livelihoods can be sustained.”
Sharma said that the memorandum also requested the CM to set up a warehouse at an ideal place.
“It was once conceived but encroachers and grabbers have encroached upon vast chunks of the state land. There is a need to have an ideal warehouse with proper godowns. Lastly, we requested that the fire and emergency services system should be made foolproof in business hubs and the loopholes be plugged to meet with any eventuality,” he said.
Sharma, however, claimed that the CM expressed his inability to shell out ₹10 lakh each to the affected shopkeepers.
“While he expressed that the government won’t be able to provide the monetary help to the extent BJP projected, we have given our representation. We have also urged him to relax the rules so that we can help the affected shopkeepers from our CDFs. After all, they are all our people,” said Sharma.
Sharma endorsed a probe into the two fire incidents and alleged delays on the part of the fire and emergency services department. “Accountability should be fixed for the lapses that led to such big fire incidents in Jammu city. The reasons should be probed,” he added.
The delegation, which met the CM, comprised party MP from Jammu, Jugal Kishore Sharma, party MLAs Sham Lal Sharma, Yudhvir Sethi, Narinder Singh Raina, Arvind Gupta and Choudhary Vikram Randhawa.
Earlier, LoP Sunil Sharma wrote on X: “Held a meeting with the committee constituted for the fire incident victims of Shiv Market and Warehouse Market in the presence of MP Jugal Kishore Sharma. We discussed measures for early relief and rehabilitation of the affected traders and assured that all possible support will be extended to them.”
Around 10 shops were gutted at the warehouse market on Sunday night when people were celebrating Diwali, while nearly 40 shops were gutted in another fire incident at Shiv Market near the Jammu Tawi Railway Station on the night of October 25.
Traders observe complete shutdown
Meanwhile, the warehouse market on Tuesday observed a total shutdown. Traders have suspended loading and unloading operations, demanding an inquiry and accountability regarding an alleged delay in response by the fire and emergency services department, alongside calls for financial relief and compensation from the administration.
The warehouse traders’ federation president Deepak Gupta has served an ultimatum that if the government failed to meet demand of the shopkeepers, the federation would be compelled to announce a complete Jammu bandh.
