Asif Iqbal Naik
SRINAGAR
Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly Wednesday directed government to go for safety and security check of all arms depots in the state.
The issued was raised by National Conference Nagrota Lawmaker Devender Singh Rana.
He demanded security audit as well as relocation of some of the arms depots situated in populated areas of the state including in his constituency.
The demand was raised in view of the fire incident in Maharashtra arms depot wherein 19 forces personnel lost their lives in the tragic fire incident.
“The government should conduct the security audit of all such arms depots in the state so as to avoid any Maharashtra like tragedy,” Rana said. “Arms depots of Ban and Kanyala located in his constituency also need to be relocated as both are surrounded with huge number of populated areas. In case, any untoward incident took places at these depots, hundreds of people will be killed.”
Rana revealed that even schools have been established in these areas. “When the land for these depots was selected, these were outside the populated areas but with the passage of time, people have settled in and around these areas.”
Responding to the concern raised by NC MLA and supported by other legislators, Speaker Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Kavinder Gupta directed the government to take up the matter with army and agencies and take necessary steps for safety and security check of all such depots existed in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
