Tourist destination Sonamarg lacks fire service station

Ganderbal, Dec 22: The traders, hoteliers as well as locals at famous tourist destination Sonamarg in Ganderbal district are aghast over the failure of authorities to establish a fire services station here and demanded immediate setting up of a fire station that can help to minimize the losses during any fire incidents.

According to the business owners, dozens of structures including shops and hotels have been gutted in several devastating fire incidents during the past at Sonamarg in which property worth crores was destroyed.

They said that the authorities had assured of setting up a fire-tender unit in the area. But till now no such unit has been established. They added that the fire tender has to come from Gund and Kangan areas that are nearly 20-40 kilometers away which takes a lot of time thereby maximising the damage.

President Beopar Mandal Sonamarg, Shabir Ahmed Lone told Greater Kashmir that for the last decade they have been demanding a fire services station at Sonamarg, adding that despite getting assurances from successive governments and senior administration officials nothing substantial has been done so far. He said that in the past many devastating fire incidents have taken place at Sonamarg consuming property worth crores, adding that the damage would have been lessened if the fire tenders had been on the spot.

“There have been many such fire incidents in the past due to which the locals as well as the traders had to suffer huge loses” he said. “ In 2006 and 2007, 2016 dozens of shops were gutted in devastating fire incidents and authorities assured that a fire station unit will be set up here, however we only get assurances but nothing substantial has been done yet,” a local resident Nazir Ahmed said.

The locals as well as traders have demanded immediate setting up of a fire services station at Sonamarg. The traders body said that they recently met the Member of Legislative Assembly Kangan Mian Mehar Ali who assured that this issue will be taken up with the concerned authorities for an early resolution. MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali said that this is a genuine demand and there is a need of having a fire services station at Sonamarg, adding that he will take up this with the government.