Central team assures support to J

Srinagar, Aug 23 (UNI) Assuring that the Centre will provide full assistance to those affected by the Khandroo ammunition depot fire, a four-member central team said requests from the state government to release advance compensation money in anticipation of the final assessment would be considered.

The team comprising Joint Secretary, Home, Mittali Sen Gavai, Joint Secretary, Defence, Binay Kumar, Director General, Ordnance Supplies and a senior officer of the Army Operational Logistics assured Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that as soon as the assessment of the damages was received the compensation money would be released by the Ministry of Defence.

A devastating fire and subsequent blasts in the 21 Field Ordinance Depot, the largest in the Kashmir valley on August 11 left 21 people, including an Army Major and 15 firefighters dead, damaged houses and crops, trees besides forcing migration of thousands of villagers.

The team members said they visited the affected villages yesterday and expressed sympathy with those affected.

They would brief the Central Government about the situation and ensure that the sufferings of the local people on account of the Khundroo ammunition depot fire were adequately addressed.

Mr Binay Kumar said the Centre fully shared the concern of the Chief Minister adding that the latter's visit to the affected villages and meeting with senior army and civil officers on August 12 had a positive impact.

The team members visited the site to appreciate the magnitude of the damage caused to life and property and also interacted with the evacuated people in relief camps set up by the state government.

At a meeting with state government officers headed by Chief Secretary, C Phunsog, emphasis was on the need for drawing timelines to conduct assessment of the damages to avoid any delays.

The central team appreciated the efforts of the State government for organising timely evacuation of people from vulnerable villages.

The team arrived here on the request of Mr Azad to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

UNI