Kashmir has only four bunkers now and the four districts of militancy-affected south Kashmir do not even have a single bunker, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti disclosed Friday.
In a written reply to a question of the Leader of Opposition and MLA Beerwah, Omar Abdullah, the chief minister, who also holds the portfolio of Home department, told the Legislative Assembly that the 12 districts of Kashmir division had a total of 18 bunkers on January 1, 2009 of which the government had removed 14.
She said the four south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian did not even have a single bunker.
Mehbooba said Leh and Kargil districts of the cold desert region of Ladakh also do not have a single bunker.
She said northwest district of Gaderbal, north Kashmir district of Baramulla and Police district of Sopore also do not have any bunkers.
The chief minister 188 camps and 4 bunkers of army and paramilitary forces existed in Kashmir.
She said a total of 258 camps and 18 bunkers existed in the Valley on January 1, 2009 of which the government had removed 70 camps and 14 bunkers.
Mehbooba said most of the camps and bunkers had been removed from Srinagar, the summer capital of the State during the National Conference-led government.
“Only six such structures have been vacated since PDP-BJP government assumed power,” the CM said.
She said 22, the highest number of bunkers and camps, had been removed in 2010, when the Valley witnessed a massive agitation leaving over 120 people dead.
“The removal of remaining bunkers and camps of Army and paramilitary forces will depend on the review of security situation in consultation with all stakeholders on a case to case basis,” Mehbooba said.
The CM said on January 1, 2009, Srinagar accounted for the highest number of 117 camps and 11 bunkers followed by Sopore township of Baramulla district (35 camps), Kulgam (27 camps), Pulwama (23 camps, three bunkers), Budgam district (20 camps, one bunker), Anantnag (13 camps), Bandipora (eight camps, one bunker), Kupwara (five camps, two bunkers), Shopian (five camps), Baramulla (four camps) and Ganderbal (one camp).
Of these 84 structures, 69 camps and 14 bunkers have been removed from towns and cities with effect from January 1, 2009, the CM said.
She said the highest number of 41 camps and 10 bunkers were removed from Srinagar followed by eight in Kulgam, seven camps in Sopore township, five camps each in Pulwama and Shopian districts, two camps and one bunker each from Bandipora and Kupwara districts.
Among the bunkers removed included the one in Handwara town of Kupwara district where five persons, including a woman were killed in the firing by Army following massive protests over the alleged molestation of a girl by an Army man in April.
CM: Only 4 bunkers in Kashmir now
