The Jammu and Kashmir [Images] government wants the army's sophisticated ammunition depots in the valley relocated to safer, uninhabited areas. 

The government's demand follows the devastating blaze inside the valley's largest ammunition depot at Khundroo in Anantnag district early this month. 18 persons died in the blaze.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad made the suggestions at a meeting with the Union defence secretary Vijay Singh [Images] on Wednesday. Singh came to discuss the situation following the Khundroo ammunition depot incident.

The chief minister said people feared another such accident. He said the villagers were not against army or presence of small weapons, but the army should consider relocating  sophisticated ammunition from inhabited areas.

Appreciating the excellent work done by the army in clearing the affected villages of live ammunition in no time, the Chief Minister sought adequate compensation from villagers affected by the blaze.