Mundka fire victims’ kin to get ₹10L aid, ₹50k for injured: Kejriwal

Kejriwal was accompanied by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia (who is also state labour minister) and industries minister Satyendar Jain.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Mundka fire incident in which at least 27 people died after a blaze engulfed a three-storey building on Friday.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the Mundka fire incident spot on Saturday morning. (PTI)

Kejriwal who visited the spot on Saturday morning also announced ₹10 lakh compensation to the families of the victims and said that DNA tests will be conducted to identify bodies, most of which were charred beyond recognition, so that the families could be informed.

Kejriwal was accompanied by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia (who is also state labour minister) and industries minister Satyendar Jain. West Delhi district magistrate Kriti Garg who was at the spot will conduct the magisterial inquiry into the case.

“I have ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident today. Those found responsible in the findings will not be spared and stringent action will be taken. Delhi government will give ₹10 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased, while the injured will be given ₹50,000,” he said.

The west district administration on Saturday also directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to submit a report on the structural stability of the building. “The report submitted by the MCD will also be included in the magisterial inquiry. Prima facie, we have not been able to ascertain the exact cause of the fire because everything inside the building has been gutted. To attribute it to a short circuit right now will be a wild guess.We are investigating every aspect of the case,” said Gurpreet Singh, sub-divisional magistrate (Punjabi Bagh).

Singh said NDRF teams were deployed at the site on Saturday to intensify the rescue operation.

“Apart from this, we have also deployed about 60 civil defence volunteers to ensure people don’t go inside the building ,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP on Saturday demanded the inquiry in the case should be headed by a sitting High Court judge.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said that the fire department should be equipped with the latest technologies, and the mechanisms to issue fire safety clearances should be made stringent.