Srinagar, April 15, (Scoop News)-Expressing serious concern over the reports that a number of precious lives have been lost besides dozens of people left incapacitated in Tosa Maidan firing range during last few decades, the CPI (M) state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has urged upon the government to look into the lease extension matter on humanitarian grounds and find some alternate place to relocate the artillery range in the larger interests of Public.
In a statement issued here today, the CPI (M) leader took a strong exception to politicization of the issue saying that Tosa Maidan must be addressed exclusively on humanitarian aspects as the issue involves lost of precious lives and damages to the public property.
He said the apprehensions exhibited by the civil society in general and the locals of Tosa Maidan in particular deserve a serious attention from the authorities. He also expressed dismay over report about delay in disbursement of compensation to the affected families of Tosa Maidan who have either lost their members or suffered huge damage to their properties during the artillery drills.
Referring to enormous tourism potential of the area, Tarigami said that government must also explore and chalk out a comprehensive plan to develop Tosa Maidan and its adjoining areas as a tourist destination to create economic opportunities especially for the local populace. “Initiatives to explore Tosa Maidan and its adjoining places as a health resort will surely give a flip to the economic activities in these areas,” he observed.
The CPI (M) leader said that the Civil-Military liaison committee constituted by the government must take all the aspects of the matter into consideration before recommending any solutions including finding an alternate location for the firing range to address the issue.
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