Minister for Agricultural Production, Rural Development Department, Javed Ahmad Dar, today visited the old Town Baramulla to take stock of the situation following a devastating fire incident occurred in the intervening night of March 23.
The fire resulted in destruction of 17 houses, leaving 29 families homeless.
The Minister was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Minga Sherpa and other senior officials from the district administration.
During his visit, Javed Dar inspected the site of the incident and personally interacted with the affected families to understand their grievances and immediate needs.
The residents and local committee members shared their concerns with the Minister and requested for immediate rehabilitation, establishment of a permanent Fire & Emergency Services station in the area and a waiver of electricity and water charges for one year to ease their financial burden.
The Minister assured the members of the affected families that the government stands with them in this difficult time and will take all necessary measures to ensure their swift rehabilitation and recovery.
Javed Dar directed the district administration to expedite assessment of losses and ensure that the affected families receive financial assistance and other support without delay.
The Deputy Commissioner briefed the Minister about the prompt response of the district administration following the incident. He informed that an immediate relief amount of Rs 10.60 lakh has already been distributed among the affected families to provide them with interim support.
He apprised that directions have been issued to the concerned officers to assess the damage in accordance with the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms, ensuring that further compensation and assistance are provided at the earliest.
The Deputy Commissioner also highlighted that temporary shelters, food supplies and other essential commodities have been arranged for the displaced families. He assured the Minister that district administration is closely coordinating with various departments and local authorities to provide continued support to the affected families until their proper rehabilitation.
The Minister commended the district administration for their timely response and emphasized the need for long term measures to prevent such incidents in the future. He directed the concerned authorities to explore the feasibility of establishing a dedicated Fire and Emergency Services station in the Old Town area to enhance the response time in case of future emergencies.
Javed Dar reiterated the government’s commitment towards providing full support to the affected families and ensuring their quick rehabilitation. He reassured that all necessary steps will be taken to improve fire safety infrastructure in the area.