Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ordered to conduct fire audits of all Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) buildings in the wake of the devastating blaze that broke out in a residential building in Mumbai on Friday. The devasting fire in the Goregaon area resulted in seven fatalities and 62 injuries. The deceased also include two minors.
CM also announced an ex gratia
Following the incident, CM Shinde visited the Jay Bhavani SRA building -- site of the fire -- and also met some of the injured who have been admitted to Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari. Speaking to reporters at the hospital, Shinde said a special officer will be appointed for the purpose of conducting fire safety audits of SRA buildings so that incidents like the one in Goregaon can be avoided. The CM also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of each of the deceased. He further said that those injured in the fire would be treated at government expense.
Blaze sweeps through building
According to officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the blaze started around 3 am at the ‘Jay Bhavani SRA building’ near Azad Maidan at Unnat Nagar in Goregaon West. It had a lot of old clothes on the ground floor, they said. Before firefighters arrived at the scene, the blaze had spread across the ground floor and started rising. It completely gutted the old clothes, shops and two-wheelers on the ground floor, said fire officials.
Meanwhile, state tourism minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who is holding additional charge as guardian minister of Mumbai's suburban district, ordered concerned officials to set up a special committee to probe the Goregaon fire. The committee will have to submit its report within a fortnight, Lodha said.
What are SRA buildings?
It should be mentioned here that SRA buildings are constructed for slum dwellers after the land they are occupying is cleared for development by private entities. The private entities fund the rehabilitation of these people and also get a return on investment by constructing homes for sale in the open market.
(With inputs from agencies)
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