CM announces Rs 10 lakh each for deceased’s kin

New Delhi, February 16

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for those who sustained major injuries, and Rs 20,000 for those who sustained minor injuries in the fire incident at a paint factory in Alipur. Kejriwal visited the site of the incident, which claimed 11 lives and left four injured on Thursday evening.

After engaging with the locals in Alipur, Kejriwal posted on X, “The fire that broke out here on Thursday is a matter of great sadness. They are saying that there was a paint factory, and we know how inflammable paint is, and due to the fire, the chemicals in it started flowing into the drains and everything in the surrounding area caught fire. The shops and the houses nearby caught fire. Eleven people have died in this, four people are said to be injured. Our condolences to the families of those who died. No price can be put on anyone’s death, but we will do whatever we can to help.”

Taking immediate action, the CM announced an ex gratia payment to the families of the deceased and the injured in the fire incident and initiated an inquiry into the matter.

Following the fire outbreak on Thursday evening, four individuals were admitted to Satyawadi Raja Harish Chandra Hospital, Narela, while 11 were taken to the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital, Jahangir Puri. Unfortunately, those taken to BJRM Hospital were declared brought dead by doctors.

Kejriwal emphasised, “We will fully assess the government’s policy regarding the shops and houses that were burnt. The loss incurred will be compensated as per the government’s policy.”

He ordered an inquiry into the delayed arrival of fire tenders at the site. He also assured the locals of investigating how the paint factory was operating in a residential area.