Fire extinguishers must be installed in every shop
JAMMU, Nov 11: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Jammu & Kashmir unit, has demanded immediate compensation and a special relief package for traders affected by the Nehru Market fire incident. The party has urged BJP MLAs to voluntarily contribute one year’s salary towards the relief of affected traders. It has also questioned the functioning of the Fire & Emergency Services Department and demanded an independent audit and an impartial investigation.
Addressing a press conference at the party office in Indira Chowk, State President Manish Sahni said that traders in Jammu, already struggling with years of economic slowdown and declining business, have been pushed into further distress by repeated fire incidents. After the Shiv Market tragedy, the devastating blaze at Nehru Market has reduced the lifetime savings, hard work and livelihoods of numerous families to ashes.
Sahni said that although public representatives were quick to visit the affected areas, a race to claim credit and make announcements began even before meaningful relief reached the victims. He pointed out that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is public money meant for development and not the personal property of any MLA. “If BJP MLAs are genuinely serious about helping affected traders, why don’t they voluntarily contribute one year’s salary instead of making promises in the name of CDF?” he asked.
Raising questions over the functioning of the Fire & Emergency Services Department, Sahni said that the department functions under the administrative control of the Home Department and the Lieutenant Governor-led administration. Therefore, accountability should not be confined to local officials alone. He demanded an independent examination of CCTV footage, emergency call records, GPS locations of fire tenders and their actual response times.
He further stressed that markets dealing with inflammable materials must have specialised firefighting foam, CO₂ and ABC dry chemical extinguishers, along with Class F/K extinguishers suitable for cooking oil fires. Modern firefighting equipment and adequately trained personnel must also be ensured.
Demanding a special fire safety audit of Jammu’s vulnerable commercial markets and modernisation of the Fire & Emergency Services infrastructure, Sahni informed that the party has submitted a memorandum to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, seeking a high-level review and independent audit of the Fire Services Department. A separate memorandum has also been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, demanding a special fire safety audit of sensitive and commercial markets across the city.
Manish Sahni appealed to shopkeepers to install fire extinguishers in their shops. He urged the administration to ensure that every shop is equipped with fire extinguishers, just as CCTV cameras are installed, so that fires can be tackled at an early stage and major losses prevented.