Dharamsala, December 20 – As many as 10 shops, most of them selling garments and antiques, one restaurant and a hotel, all belonging to Tibetans, were destroyed in a fire that broke out in the McLeodganj market at 3.30 am today. No loss of life was reported but the total loss of property is estimated to be around Rs 1.13 crore.
“We have again become refugees, everything has been destroyed. Even the clothes I’m wearing have been given by friends. I had to jump out of the window after removing gas cylinders,” said Mr Lodoe Sangpo, owner of Kailash Hotel.
Nearly 12 families lost most of their belongings in the fire. The office of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress was also gutted. A spokesperson of the Tibetan Congress said valuable records of the organisation were among the things destroyed.
Eyewitnesses say that the fire started at 3.30 am and could be brought under control only by 7 am. The cause of the fire is still not known. Officials of the district administration said since there was no power supply last night, a candle or a room heater left unattended could have sparked off the fire.
Sources said a policeman who first spotted the fire could not contact the fire- brigade as its telephone was out of order. A police team was, therefore, rushed to fetch the fire tenders from Dharamsala.
The district administration has announced an immediate relief of Rs 10,000 each to affected families.
The McLeodganj Beopar Mandal in a meeting announced a relief of Rs 1 lakh to be distributed among affected businessmen. Mr Dinesh Kapoor, president of the mandal, said they had also booked rooms in a hotel for affected families.
The shops and residences are a part of the main market. Most of the structures were wooden and built in early 1960s.
Mr Krishan Kapoor, senior BJP leader, urged both state government and the Tibetan Government-in-exile to offer financial relief to affected businessmen and their families. “The well-off Tibetans in other parts of the country and abroad should come to their help,” he said.
Officials of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, including Pema Jugney, chairman of the Tibetan Parliament, visited the site and promised to help affected families.
