JAMMU, Oct 27: Abhinav Anand, President of the Traders Association, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, has urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to announce immediate and adequate compensation for shopkeepers whose establishments were gutted in a devastating fire at Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, Anand said the affected traders had suffered substantial financial losses, with their shops, goods and hard-earned investments destroyed in the fire. He noted that the tragedy had not only damaged commercial establishments but also threatened the livelihoods and financial security of several families dependent on these businesses.
Anand appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene personally and direct the concerned departments to conduct an immediate assessment of the losses suffered by the affected shopkeepers. He stressed that the compensation process should be transparent, fair and completed without unnecessary delays to ensure timely relief to all victims.
He further called upon the government to provide immediate financial assistance to the affected traders to help them restart their businesses and overcome the financial difficulties caused by the incident.
Emphasising the need for a compassionate response, Anand said the trading community required the government’s support during this difficult period and that the affected shopkeepers should not be left to cope with the consequences of the tragedy on their own.
“I strongly appeal to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally intervene and ensure that every shopkeeper affected by the devastating fire at Shiv Market receives immediate and adequate compensation. Their shops have been destroyed, their hard-earned investments have been lost, and their livelihoods are at stake. The government must act swiftly, sensitively and decisively to provide relief to every affected trader,” Anand said.
He also urged the concerned authorities to issue necessary directions on an urgent basis and ensure that no affected shopkeeper was left out of the relief process.
Concluding his appeal, Anand reiterated that compensation and rehabilitation of the affected traders must be treated as a priority. He called upon the government to extend all possible assistance to help the victims rebuild their businesses, restore their sources of income and resume their normal lives at the earliest.