Senior Congress Leader and MLA Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori today expressed grief over the damage to property in fire incident at Thathri in Doda District. The unfortunate incident occurred during the intervening night of 2nd January, 2014 in which four houses including Bilal Ahmed Zargar, Ali Jaan, Mohammad Rafi and Majeed Ahmed beside several Jewellery, Cosmetic shops were burnt when a cylinder was blast inside the residential house of Bilal Ahmed.Expressing sympathies with the victims, Saroori assured every possible help. He also directed the district administration to carry out relief and rehabilitation measures for the fire incidents.
“Putting the blame on present Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his failure in taking appropriate steps to replace the worn out fire fighting system beside added that the government had failed to protect public property despite being informed on time. He said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also made a statement on the floor of the house with regard to up gradation of infrastructure in Fire Services Department. He also promised opening of Fire Service Department in all Tehsil of the states”, Saroori said."Opening of new fire service stations at Tehsil level seems to be a distant dream, but CM even fails to upgrade infrastructure at District level," said Saroori.
He said that there is immediate need of opening of well equipped fire service stations at Tehsil level in all parts of the state, but added that in hilly areas like erstwhile District Doda, there is need of opening of such stations at block level. He said that due to rough roads and tuff terrains in eeriest while Doda District, it is not possible for fire department to reach the site of incident quickly as a result of which the public property suffered badly in day to day incidents.He said that in recent year major incidents like in Thathri, Keshwan, Chatroo, Bunjwah, Warwan, Marwah, Dachhan, Padder, Nagsini, Drabshala and other parts of the District has raised a question mark on preparedness of fire service department and state government in tackling the growing fire incidents in Kishtwar District and other parts of the state.
He also demanded setting up a fire service station at Thathri, Bunjwah, Chatroo, Sarthal and Bhalessa Town to cater to the need of the people in the area. Being a remote and far flung area, people suffer due to sudden break out of fire or man-made follies. He said that many a time human lives were lost, animals charred to death, residential houses and business establishments damaged completely due to non-availability of fire extinguishing equipment's.Meanwhile Congress block President Thathri Mohammad Iqbal Teli, Working block President Asgar Khangi, President IYC Inderwal Mohammad Latief Mughal, Sarpanches Abdul Razzak, Noor Mohammad, Hari Ram, Ali Mohammad, Mohd Shafi, Raj Kumar, Chaman Lal, Farooq Ahmed, Sarfraz Khan, Nek Alam, Waseem Ul Haq, Mansoor Ahmed, Mohd Rafique, Noor Maey, Abid Hussain, Mushtaq Ahmed and others have conveyed their sympathies with affected families. They have had also demanded immediate relief and compensation in favour to the fire incident victims.