Ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to kin of deceased

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday ordered a thorough probe into the Bawana factory fire incident, which claimed at least 17 lives, and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.

"It is a very tragic incident. We have ordered a probe into the incident," Kejriwal told reporters after meeting the injured at a hospital here.

He said that the injured will get an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh, adding that the it will be fully probed how the factory got the licence and who gave it.

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain visited patients admitted to the hospital on Sunday morning

Baijal ordered police to take strict action against the violators in the case.

"The police will act against every accused and the government will not spare the culprits behind this incident," said Jain.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari also visited some victims and announced compensation of Rs 50,000.

"This place, this factory, its licence and everything was with the Delhi government and its industry department. It was being run illegally," Tiwari stated.

Echoing him, leaders of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) said, "Bawana Industrial Area is under DSIIDC and land allotment has been done by Delhi government."

Earlier, Tiwari had attacked Kejriwal after the latter retweeted a video of North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal, where she was heard cautioning officials not to say anything against the fire as the factory's licence had been issued by North MCD.

Tiwari then took to Twitter, saying, "What can be more shameful than this, where 17 people have lost their lives and the Chief Minister is retweeting a false video."

Meanwhile. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken sought a judicial inquiry for an impartial probe into the major fire.

Maken, who visited the factory area on Sunday, said a magisterial inquiry was not enough to unravel the truth.

"If an enquiry under government control is held, the whole truth will not come out as the government will try to save its own guilty departments," Maken stated.

The Delhi Congress chief also demanded that the Delhi government immediately give Rs 50 lakh compensation to each of the labourers' family who died in the tragedy.