West Bengal: PM Modi Announces Compensation For Anandapur Fire Victims As Toll Rises To 27

New Delhi: A massive fire in the Anandapur area of ​​Kolkata, West Bengal, has claimed the lives of 27 people so far. Five days after the devastating fire on January 26, the cleanup operation is still underway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for each of the victims' families. The BJP has attributed the fire to human error and criticized the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The recent fire incident in Anandpur, West Bengal, is extremely tragic and painful. My deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each deceased. ₹50,000 will be given to the injured."

What did Amit Malviya say?

BJP senior leader Suvendu Adhikari in West Bengal demanded the arrest of the owners of the momo-making unit and decorative items warehouses where the massive fire broke out on January 26. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also attributed the fire to 'human error'. He said the fire was caused by illegal warehouses operating without adhering to fire safety norms.

Amit Malviya posted on social media platform X, "This was not an accident. This was a man-made disaster caused by illegal warehouses operating without fire safety norms, mandatory NOCs or audits in the East Kolkata Wetlands."

What did Suvendu Adhikari say?

Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari, displaying an alleged picture of one of the owners of the 'food chain', claimed that the picture was shared by the owner on social media when he was part of a business delegation accompanying the Chief Minister on a foreign trip. Adhikari alleged that the state government is not taking action against the owners of the 'food chain' because they are close to the government and the top leadership of the Trinamool Congress.

What did the Congress say?

Former Congress MP and former West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) chief Adhir Chowdhury said that the presence of hundreds of people at the site is hampering the work of the forensic team and the recovery of the victims' remains.

How did the tragedy happen?

A massive fire broke out in the early hours of January 26 at a momo manufacturing unit and a decorative items warehouse in Nazirabad, under the Narendraput police station area in the outskirts of Kolkata, West Bengal, resulting in the deaths of several laborers. The recovery of the victims' remains has been ongoing for several days but is still not complete.