J&K CM donates salary to victims

Srinagar, Oct 4: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has donated one month salary for the victims of 21 Field Ordnance Depot fire at Khundroo in north Kashmir that left 21 people dead and thousands of houses damaged on August 11.

Mr Azad signed a cheque for Rs 45,000, accounting for his month's salary, payable to Jammu and Kashmir Relief Fund.

The amount would go in relief of the victims of the Khundroo incident, an official spokesman said.

About 21 people, including 15 firefighters and three soldiers, including a major besides civilians and labourers were killed after fire broke out in the depot, one of the largest in the Kashmir valley.

The fire followed by thousands of blasts damaging houses and other structures, forcing more than ten thousand residents to flee to safer places.

Later, the defence authorities airlifted more than 100 Bomb Disposal Squad members from different commands to clear the unexploded and exploded shells from about 13 affected villages.

It took about a month to declare the villages safe for return. The Chief Minister had himself supervised relief operations in the area and taken up rehabilitation of the victims with the Prime Minister and Defence Minister.

UNI