Terming the safety of people prime concern of the government, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) and Information, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali today asked the all the concerned agencies to expedite the process of shifting of oil depots from Jammu city to less populated areas.Speaking at a meeting convened to review the process of shifting of oil depots that are presently located near Railway Station in Jammu, the Minister said that the present location of the depots is a matter of concern for the government. He said the depots are surrounded by residential areas and if something wrong happens there, it could lead to a big disaster, causing loses of human lives as well as property.Commissioner Secretary FCS&CA Shafiq Ahmad Raina, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Rajeev Ranjan, senior officers from Revenue, Forest department and representatives of oil companies attended the meeting.The Minister said that keeping safety of people in mind, the shifting of the depots becomes imperative and all agencies involved in it should put in there sincere efforts in accomplishing this task at the earliest.Deputy Commissioner Jammu apprised the meeting about the present status of shifting process.
The Minister asked DC Jammu to complete all necessary formalities in this regard so that works on ground can be executed by other concerned agencies.The officers from Revenue and Forest department also informed the Minister about the status of shifting process and the formalities to be done by their respective departments. The Minister asked the officers to ensure no laxity in the whole process and said that all concerned departments should put in their coordinated efforts in relocating the oil depots from the city area there by contributing in saving the lives of the people.The representatives of oil companies involved in the shifting process told the Minister that the works at new location will be started as soon as the land will be provided to them including seeking necessary permissions from concerned agencies for establishment of new infrastructure at new identified site where oil depots to be shifted. The Minister asked the oil companies to come up with a proposal under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to help the local people involved in the whole process in terms of providing employment and other benefits to them.Zulfkar said that Nodal Officer appointed by the department of FCS&CA is responsible to coordinate with all concerned agencies and to provide all possible help required in the shifting process. The Minister said that the government is very much concerned about the issue and the process should be completed in a time bound manner.