By IANS
Srinagar : The central government has paid the full compensation of over Rs.260 million to the victims of an accident at the Khundroo ammunition depot in Kashmir this year, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said here Saturday.
Welcoming Defence Minister A.K. Antony on his arrival, Azad said the defence ministry had agreed to vacate school and hospital buildings under security forces’ occupation by next month.
Antony chaired a meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Besides Azad, union Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, state Chief Secretary C. Phunsog, financial commissioner (home) and chief secretary-designate, B.R. Kundal, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda, special secretary in union home ministry, M.L. Kumawat, GoCs of the 15th and 16th corps Lieutenant General A.S. Sekhon and Lieutenant General Tej Sapru respectively were present at the review meeting at the Sher-e-Kashmir Convention complex.
A committee comprising the defence secretary, the union home secretary and the state chief secretary would coordinate the issue of vacation of civilian facilities by the security forces.
In yet another significant decision, Antony also agreed to revise the rentals of the land and orchards under the occupation of the army and asked the state government to submit to it the rental revision recommendations that would be fully accepted.
The state government would submit the revised rate recommendations within 15 days.
The overall human rights situation in the border state was also reviewed.
The senior officers of the army, security forces, police and intelligence agencies gave their assessment of the security scenario.
They assured the defence minister and the chief minister that strict instructions had been passed on to all levels for respecting human rights and said that erring officials were being dealt with in accordance with the law.
Soon after his arrival, Antony went to Pahalgam where he attended the silver jubilee function of the Jawahar Mountaineering Institute.