By IANS,
New Delhi : Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Monday visited the hospital where victims of the east Delhi blaze the night before were being treated and announced a compensation of Rs.2 lakh each for the families of those killed.
“An inquiry has been ordered in the case and victims can collect the compensation after identity verification,” Dikshit told reporter after meeting the victims at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital.
A Delhi government minister, declining to be named, said that the compensation for those killed would be provided to their family members. “They will be traced and the amount will be provided to them. We will also take help of ration card data to contact the families.”
Dikshit announced an immediate relief of Rs.5,000 to each affected person. Besides, the government will give Rs.2 lakh as compensation to the families of each dead, Rs.50,000 to each of the critically injured, and Rs.5,000 to those who suffered minor injuries.
The fire at a community centre in Nand Nagri in east Delhi where the Akhil Bharatiya Kinnara Samaj Sarvdharma Mahasammelan, a gathering of eunuchs, started Sunday evening and left 15 dead and 33 injured.
The charred bodies of five have been so far been identified. The fire was suspected to have been sparked by an electrical short circuit, police said.
Police registered a case of causing death due to negligence against the gathering’s organisers who allegedly did not take permission for the programme. The fire brigade had also not given any approval for the meeting.
Many eunuchs waited outside Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, searching for their group members. They were angry at not being allowed to see the bodies.
“We have been waiting outside the hospital since 8 p.m. yesterday (Sunday), looking for members of our group. We requested doctors to allow us to see the bodies so that we could identify our group members but they are not allowing us,” an eunuch said Monday.
Many survivors of the tragedy visited the site in Nand Nagri’s E2 block to look for their belongings among the burnt remains of the marquee. “We don’t know where our belongings are. We are looking for them,” said Poonam.
Area residents and Delhi Disaster Management Authority workers provided food and water to the eunuchs.
Delhi Health Minister A.K. Walia, who visited the injured in hospital Sunday night, said 13 people were killed and 33 injured. However, fire department officials Monday said that as per their records the toll was 15.
The government has asked deputy commissioner (revenue) of east Delhi to investigate the incident and file a report.
According to organisers, as many as 2,500 people were present at the community centre, where the three-day meet started Sunday.