Arms depot fire

Sir, - Having read your Editorial ``Time for comprehensive review'' (May 3) with concern, I would like to sharpen the focus on some of the relevant issues brought out by you.

Surely, Pulgaon and Jabalpur incidents have been forgotten, by the people who matter, or else we would not have had a `Bharatpur'. If the fire started from the grass outside the depot, as stated by the Defence Minister, it is a clear case of `command failure'; even at unit level, we are trained to create `no fire lanes' (an appropriate width of ground cleared off all grass and vegetation) around stores and dumps. Surely, this safety aspect should have been checked by all commanders and staff who inspected and visited the depot.

Unless someone (not a scapegoat) is held responsible and penalised for loss of munition of strategic significance and material loss of over Rs. 376 crores, we will surely have many such mishaps, as anticipated by you.

As for the Suku committee, I hope it will also look into the resources available with the commandant of such a depot to ensure its safety against fire. Resources like dozers and manpower should be given to him as a right rather than his having to beg his commander and staff for them.

Deepak Das,

Jaipur

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