HC asks GNCT, factory to pay compensation to fire victims

The city government has been directed by the Delhi High Court to pay compensation to the families of those who were killed and injured in a fire in a factory in a residential building in January 2011.
The court also directed M/s Amazing Creation Garment Export Factory at Tughlakabad area of South Delhi, where 14 workmen died and five other workmen were injured in the fire on January 20, 2011, to pay the compensation jointly with the government.
Justice Vipin Sanghi accepted the plea of families of eight victims including an injured workman and said "...This writ petition for grant of compensation is maintainable against both the respondents (state and pvt factory) and the petitioners are entitled to compensation for the undeniable right to life of the near relatives of the petitioner nos 1-7 and of petitioner no 8."

The court accepted the argument of petitioners' counsel that NCT of Delhi has miserably failed to discharge their statutory duties by not preventing the factory-owner from running the factory in flagrant violation of all statutory laws relating to fire prevention, building bye laws, labour laws etc which resulted into the deaths and injury of the workmen.