Dabwali fire victims to get Rs 3.42 cr more

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 20

Victims of the 1995 Dabwali fire tragedy will get about Rs3.42 crore more in compensation. A Dabwali court on Monday directed DAV School, where the fire broke out, to remit the amount before February 28.

On December 23, 1995, about 1,500 persons had gathered for an annual function of DAV School at a marriage palace when a synthetic tent caught fire due to short-circuit, leaving 442 dead and more than 150 injured.

The court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Reetu had, in her order on December 11 last year, directed the school to pay the amount before December 23, the 23rd anniversary of the incident. But DAV School had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court with a plea that there were errors in the calculation of the interest.

On December 22, the High Court had remanded the case to the sub-divisional court. After hearing the two parties, the issue of error in calculation was sorted.

As per the revised calculations, DAV School was to pay Rs18.75 crore in compensation. After adding Rs7.64 core as interest up to April 9, 2010, the compensation came out to be Rs26.42 crore.

The school had deposited Rs10 crore on March 15, 2010, on the orders of the Supreme Court when it filed an appeal against the initial award.

When the SC dismissed the school’s appeal in March 2013, the balance amount of compensation was Rs19.3 crore after adding an interest of Rs2.87 crore till that date.

The school had remitted Rs17 crore in 2013 after dismissal of its appeal, leaving Rs2.3 crore unpaid. It again approached the SC, contesting the remaining amount.

Finally, the Supreme Court had rejected the school’s plea in 2016 and directed it to remit the balance amount with interest within four months. When the school still did not pay up, the Dabwali Fire Victims Association approached the Dabwali court.

Contention over calculation

• The court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Reetu had, in her order on December 11 last year, directed the school to pay the amount before December 23, the 23rd anniversary of the incident
• But DAV School had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court with a plea that there were errors in the calculation of the interest
• On December 22, the High Court had remanded the case to the sub-divisional court. After hearing the two parties, the issue of error in calculation was sorted.