Jammu : A massive fire broke out yesterday in Maratha Basti, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, destroying the entire area into ashes. The fire caused significant damage to homes and shops, destroying materials, breaking windows, melting water tanks, and heating walls, leading to substantial financial losses.
BJP leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, Kr. Rajeev Charak, the Prabhari of Jammu District, and Advocate Ishant Gupta, the J&K BJP State IT Head, visited the site to assess the situation. They spoke with the affected residents & shopkeepers, listened to their concerns, and assured them that they would discuss solutions with the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Jammu to resolve their issues at the earliest.
Kr. Rajeev Charak expressed concern about the incident and highlighted the significant loss suffered by Raju Sharma & Vikas Sharma, a scrap dealer. Charak said that the cause of the fire is still unclear, but it is suspected that either children playing with fire or a short circuit might be responsible. He emphasized that Rohngiya Basti is an unauthorized settlement of Rohingya refugees from Burma, who are not permanent citizens of India, work as laborers for the railway. He added that there are reports that they illegally stored oil from tankers and even sold it, which might have contributed to the fire, leading to the complete destruction of the area and causing losses to nearby shopkeepers.
Charak appealed to the DC, Jammu stressing that Trikuta Nagar is a posh colony and a sensitive area due to the railway station situated nearby which is visited by a large number of people/yatris from across the country. He urged that such settlements should be relocated to safer areas and also demanded strict action against those who settled these people in the area and even offered employment to them.
Advocate Ishant Gupta also appealed to the DC Jammu, highlighting that the fire has severely impacted local children, as their books have been destroyed and families have lost their homes. With rising temperatures, there is a risk of further harm to people’s lives. Therefore, he urged DC Jammu that immediate steps should be taken to rehabilitate these families to ensure their safety and well-being.