Panchkula market fire: Confusion prevails over actual beneficiaries

Sanjay Bumbroo

Panchkula, September 4

Confusion prevails over the actual beneficiaries of compensation to be given to the victims of the fire that ravaged the kiosk market in Sector 9 here on September 1, as most of the shops have been sublet or sold by their owners.

The disbursal of compensation would get delayed further as no list has been prepared, which is to be submitted to the Panchkula Municipal Corporation authorities for awarding a compensation of Rs 25,000 each. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced the compensation for the victims of the fire after visiting the site on September 2.

According to information, many shopkeepers had purchased the shops at hefty premiums from the original owners and they do not have documents to prove ownership, and claim compensation.

Interestingly, some original owners have claimed compensation with a view to getting their booths again.

A three-member committee has been formed by the MC for preparing a list of beneficiaries. It was supposed to submit the list to the authorities concerned by 6 pm yesterday. The team had set up a helpdesk at the site, but returned empty-handed, as no shopkeeper had the requisite documents.

There are many shopkeepers, who had purchased their shops by paying lakhs of rupees, but do not have any documents to claim the ownership.

Sources said the number of shopkeepers as per the 2014-15 survey exceeds the original number of traders when the market was established before 2000. Three was rumour that the government would construct pucca sheds, which had prompted the original allottees to stake their claim to the sites. The MC officials are cautious while preparing the list of beneficiaries.

They are making sure that only those victims would be compensated for losses who possess the documents to claim their ownership.

Meanwhile, BB Singal, Chairman, Panchkula Vyapari Kalyan Board, said the list would be ready by tomorrow morning. He said it had been decided that the Rehri Market Association would verify the traders who were running business at the market. He said the compensation would be given to the actual victims. Various religious and social associations had donated more than Rs 10 lakh and Haryana Assembly Speaker and local MLA Gian Chand Gupta had announced a donation of Rs 1 lakh from his personal funds, he added.

Many traders have no documents

• Many shopkeepers, who had purchased shops at hefty premiums, do not have documents to prove ownership.
• Some original allottees, who had sold off their shops, have claimed compensation with a view to getting booths again, said sources.
• Sources said the number of shopkeepers as per the 2014-15 survey exceeds the original number of traders before 2000.