60 huts gutted, families of migrants rendered homeless

Our Correspondent

UNA, MARCH 20

About 60 thatched huts providing shelter to migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh were destroyed in a fire that broke out in a migrant worker’s colony at Basal village on Monday night. The Fire department staff reached the spot to douse the flames, but by then all dwellings, made of thatched material, had been destroyed.

Residents scampered to save some of their meagre belongings such as clothing, provisions and utensils. Prithi Pal Singh said while Revenue Tehsildar visited the spot to assess the damage, relief could not be provided as per the manual as the structures were constructed on the government land.

The SDM, however, said non-government channels were being tapped to provide relief to the affected families. He said nobody had been injured in the incident, adding that the cause of fire could not be ascertained. The migrant residents have begun to gather material for re-construction of their shelters.