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One month after Pirangut fire tragedy: Fire station work moves at snail’s pace; family members await government aid
On the afternoon of June 7, an accident at SVS Aqua-Tech company in the Uravade area of Mulshi, Pirangut claimed the lives of 17 people and the fire raged on for almost 40 minutes before the fire tenders could reach the spot
The family members of the Pirangut industrial unit fire tragedy are yet to receive the aid that the government had promised while the answers from stakeholders responsible for the fire station in the area have remained the same - land requests have been made to the district collector office.
The response time of the fire brigade during the fire accident raised the concern around the lack of nearby fire stations and hospitals. On the afternoon of June 7, an accident at SVS Aqua-Tech company in the Uravade area of Mulshi, Pirangut claimed the lives of 17 people and the fire raged on for almost 40 minutes before the fire tenders could reach the spot.
“There is a piece of government land which has been chosen and the district collector office has been informed. The area will be around two-acre,” said Diwase, chief executive officer (CEO) of Pune metropolitan region development authority (PMRDA).
The land is government-owned and is currently used for a different purpose. However, this is not the only fire station that is awaiting a nod, as per protocol.
Diwase added that the Development Plan for the entire PMRDA jurisdiction is ready and it has provision for several fire stations, trauma care centres, nearby police stations, and air ambulances in it.
“There needs to be organised development. Every time a tragedy happens, there is a knee-jerk reaction from factions including the media. The fire station’s land-related work will take another 9-11 months,” said Diwase.
As far as the DP of the region is concerned, a planning committee has to approve it before the plan is published.
Kin of victims await government aid
The state government had promised ₹5 lakh while the central government had promised ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund. While that money is yet to see the light of day, the company insurance money has started reaching the families of the victims.
The deceased were identified as Archana Vaikant Kawade (36), Sachin Ghodke (24), Sangita Maruti Polekar (43), Mangal Baban Margale (29), Surekha Manohar Tupe (45), Suman Sanjay Dhebe (38), Sunita Rahul Sathe (28), Mahadevi Sanjay Ambare (40), Manda Bhausaheb Kulat (49), Trishla Sambhaji Jadhav (32), Atul Lakshman Sathe (23), Seema Sachin Borade (34), Geeta Bharat Diwadkar (41), Shital Dattatray Khopakar (43), Sarika Chandrakant Kudale (42), Dhanashree Rajaram Shelar (22), and Sangitla Ulhas Gonde (43).
“We got multiple cheques amounting to ₹10 lakh collectively. The company has also promised a pension that will be 90 per cent of the salary that was drawn by those who lost their lives. We have encashed two cheques in July and will be encashing two more in December. Our pension work is remaining,” said Sachin Borade, who lost his wife in the incident.
“We have given whatever papers were required in the talathi’s office. I have the cheques, but I have not put them in the bank yet. I need more time to plan how to save it for my children’s future,” said Ulhas Gonde who also lost his wife in the incident.
Meanwhile, a case under Sections 304(2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Paud police station against the three owners of SVS AquaTech - Nikunj Shah (39), Director of the company; Keyur Vipin Shah (41), his Dubai-based brother and partner; and their father Bipin Jayantilal Shah (68), a resident of Sahakarnagar area.
