BJP demands strengthening of VDCs, SPOs in J&K

BJP today demanded strengthening of the system of village defence committees (VDCs) and special police officers (SPOs) as a second line of defence to fight militancy in far-flung and hilly areas of the state.
    
Ever since the system of VDCs and SPOs has been created, it has given enormous support to police and security forces in containing militancy in far-off and hilly areas of the state, president of BJP's Jammu unit Shamsher Singh Manhas said.

"But it is unfortunate that the state government is planning to disband the VDCs and reduce the number of SPOs. This can have far-reaching consequences on the security situation in hilly areas in J&K," he said.
    
"If the government carries forward this plan, then militancy may rise again as security forces and police cannot reach every hilly area," he said.

BJP demands the strengthening of VDCs and SPOs in the interest of the state's security, he said, adding the government should permanently absorb SPOs in police and provide adequate honorarium to VDCs.
   
The BJP leader demanded an inquiry headed by the Divisional Commander into the burning of 15 shops in Gulabgarg area of Kishtwar district some time ago.

He alleged the government has neither conducted an inquiry nor paid any compensation to the victims.
   
The leader said hilly districts are affected by non- availability of drinking water and electricity supply, apart from inadequate number of teachers in educational institutions.
    
He said party MLAs would soon meet chief minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar and bring these issues to his notice.