After facing the wrath of angry shopkeepers at the warehouse market on Monday, a BJP delegation comprising five party MLAs and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma called on chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday, submitting a four-point memorandum that included the primary demand for immediate compensation of ₹ 10 lakh each to the affected shopkeepers of Shiv Market and Warehouse Market.
“It was once conceived but encroachers and grabbers have encroached upon vast chunks of the state land. There is a need to have an ideal warehouse with proper godowns. The first and foremost demand is an immediate relief of ₹ 10 lakh each to the affected shopkeeper under relief and rehab funds followed by second demand to relax CDF rules enabling BJP MLAs to provide monetary help to the affected shopkeepers so that livelihoods can be sustained.
Talking to reporters after meeting the CM, the BJP MLA from Jammu north, Sham Lal Sharma, said, “We met the CM and submitted a four point memorandum. Sharma said that the memorandum also requested the CM to set up a warehouse at an ideal place. Lastly, we requested that the fire and emergency services system should be made foolproof in business hubs and the loopholes be plugged to meet with any eventuality,” he said.
“While he expressed that the government won’t be able to provide the monetary help to the extent BJP projected, we have given our representation. Traders have suspended loading and unloading operations, demanding an inquiry and accountability regarding an alleged delay in response by the fire and emergency services department, alongside calls for financial relief and compensation from the administration. The warehouse traders’ federation president Deepak Gupta has served an ultimatum that if the government failed to meet demand of the shopkeepers, the federation would be compelled to announce a complete Jammu bandh.
We have also urged him to relax the rules so that we can help the affected shopkeepers from our CDFs.
After all, they are all our people,” said Sharma. Meanwhile, the warehouse market on Tuesday observed a total shutdown.
