The Hindu : Govt. to build houses for victims of fire mishap

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 24, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Govt. to build houses for victims of fire mishap

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELLARY April 23. The Government will take up construction of houses for the families affected by the fire accident in Sirguppa on Monday. Seven persons died in the accident.

Sageer Ahmed, Minister for Housing, who rushed to the spot in a helicopter, told presspersons here on Tuesday that 86 of the 125 huts in Wards 1 and 2 had been gutted in the fire accident. The Government had decided to provide pucca houses to those rendered houseless and also to the occupants of other 39 houses. About three acres of land was being acquired for the purpose and the Karnataka Land Army Corporation and the Nirmiti Kendra had been entrusted with the task of constructing the houses, he said. Work on this would begin in a couple of days and completed soon.

The Minister said he was deputed by the Chief Minister to visit the place, speak to the victims and monitor relief and rehabilitation work. He said his department would extend financial assistance to acquire the required land for construction of houses.

Meanwhile, sheds would be erected for the affected families to live in them till pucca houses were ready. The victims would be given 25 kg of rice for a couple of days. They would be given employment under the Food-for-Work Scheme. A health unit was also functioning in the area, he said. The Minister said a pair of blankets, a set of utensils, and clothes would be provided as part of the immediate relief measures. The town panchayat would lay a pipeline for supplying drinking water to the rehabilitation centre.

Mr. Ahmed, while stating that an ex gratia payment of Rs.50,000 per head was being given to the families of the victims, said he would consult the Chief Minister with regard to enhancing it.

Earlier, Mr. Ahmed, accompanied by M.Diwakar Babu, Minister of State for Cooperation, M.Shankar Reddy, Sirguppa MLA, K.C.Kondaiah, K.Niranjan Naidu, MLCs, Venkataram Reddy, Municipal President, Javed Akthar, Deputy Commissioner, Hemant Nimbalkar, Superintendent of Police, went around the two wards and spoke to the families of the victims.

Before reaching Sirguppa, the Minister called on the victims of the fire accident admitted at the VIMS Hospital in Bellary. He said proper medical care would be provided to three persons suffering burns in addition to giving compensation. According to him, the condition of Pasha, with 50 per cent burns, was serious. Two others with 30 and 20 per cent burns were recovering.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Software exports record 25 p.c. growth

Ghorpade to retire from politics

`Make medical education affordable'

Govt. to build houses for victims of fire mishap

Bheema: Discordant talk causes confusion

Launch `no tax campaign', Prakash tells weavers

Bijapur-Gadag line by 2005: official

TDP blocking transfer of Toranagallu-Bellary line?

Pressure mounting on VC to resign

Proposal on farm varsity gathering dust