Kin of 29 AMRI fire dead given compensation

Families of 29 dead in the AMRI hospital fire today received Rs 3 lakh each as compensation from the Kolkata police, a top police official said.

Families of the other dead in the December nine fire disaster would receive an identical amount as compensation in phases after verification of documents, city police commissioner R K Pachnanda said.

Many of those receiving the cheques from the police commissioner at the city police headquarters at Lalbazar in the central part of the city broke down.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today held a meeting with the police department officials, where it was decided to establish six new fire stations at Burrabazar, Garia, Parama Island and Tiljala.

Pachnanda, who was present at the meeting told reporters that the chief minister had asked the police to be 'more pro-active' in dealing with the situation.

Burrabazar and Tiljala and Kasba have been rated the most fire-prone commercial zones in the city. Teams from the Calcutta Municipal Corporation and the fire service department will visit these areas at regular intervals to check if traders are complying with fire safety norms.

Mamata also told the police to be vigilant against illicit liquor dens, hooch sold from where killed more than 170 people in South 24-Parganas district last month.