Srinagar, April 4:(KNS) Chamber of commerce Industry Kashmir CCIK has expressed deep anguish over the houseboat blaze in which eight structures gutted.
In a statement, CCIK President Tariq Rashid Ghani said the massive fire incident is very painful as this is not only loss to the family members but to the tourism industry.
Ghani said Houseboats are the USPs of the Kashmir tourism and no tourist levaves back from Kashmir without experiencing the stay in the Houseboats.
CCIK President said Houseboats are the heritage symbols of Kashmir and main attraction of the tourists which need to be protected.
The CCIK President has appealed to the LG Administration to immediately provide compensation to the owners and also prove permissions for their reconstructions through fast track and single window system.
"Besides, the affected families should also be given timber for its construction on subsidised basis," he said.
The fire started from a houseboat and engulfed adjacent ones. Though locals and police launched a firefighting operation but the houseboats were “substantially” gutted.(KNS)