Ensure speedy grant of relief to kin of 9 factory fire victims, admn told

Taking strict note of the delay in providing compensation to the kin of nine victims, who were killed in a fire incident at NR Aromas in Barotiwala, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the district administration to personally complete the paper formalities and ensure speedy grant of relief to the families of the deceased.

The commission passed these orders under Section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, at a recent hearing while noting that nine persons died in the incident due to inflammatory substance used in the said unit.

February 2 incident

• The human rights panel had taken note of the February 2 incident at — NR Aromas — a perfume manufacturing factory at Jharmajri in Barotiwala. The commission had sought a report from the district administration in this connection
• Nine persons died in the incident due to inflammatory substance used in the said unit
• Ajay Yadav, ADC, Solan, who is conducting a magisterial inquiry into the fire incident, said the kin of the accident victims would be personally contacted for providing relief

The commission had taken note of the February 2 incident at — NR Aromas — a perfume manufacturing factory at Jharmajri in Barotiwala. The panel had sought a report from the district administration in this connection.

In its latest hearing around a fortnight ago, the commission directed the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) to personally collect the requisite documents relating to ex-gratia for the deceased and credit the compensation amount of Rs 4 lakh as per the notified norms of the state Revenue Department into the accounts of their kin.

Ajay Yadav, ADC, Solan, who is conducting a magisterial inquiry into the fire incident, said the kin of the accident victims, who were migrants from Uttar Pradesh, would be personally contacted for providing compensation. It would be ensured that their paper formalities were completed at the earliest so that they could be provided due relief, he said.

The victims’ families had left for their native places after spending a few days at Baddi after the mishap in a hope that the post-mortem reports would be ready after the submission of the forensic reports. Reshma from Bareilly, whose daughter Rehnuma died in the fire tragedy, and Rajveer from Badaun, whose daughter Kajal lost her life in the mishap, who had been running from pillar to post to get compensation.

Similar was the plight of victim Kajal Bharti’s brother Durgesh from Kushinagar, victim Rakhi’s father Prem Singh from Sambhal and victim Shashi’s father Naresh from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh who were knocking the doors of lawyers and the revenue staff to get due compensation. These migrants had visited Baddi last week, but failed to get any compensation because the cause of the death had not been mentioned in the post-mortem reports as the forensic reports were still awaited.

The ADC said it would be ensured that the post-mortem reports were completed and requisite documents for seeking compensation submitted to the authorities soon. He said barring one, all forensic reports had been received.