Your job not just to pay compensation, but also ensure rehabilitation: HC to Delhi govt on slum fire victims

The Delhi High Court today reminded the AAP government that its job was not just to pay compensation to slum-dwellers affected by a massive fire in east Delhi, but also ensure their rehabilitation.

The observation by a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar came as it issued notice to the Delhi government and other authorities seeking their response on a plea moved by a social activist alleging that proper facilities -- adequate water, toilets, tents and food -- were not being provided to those who lost all their belongings in the fire of April 23.

Residents of the slums in Mansarovar Park in east Delhi where hit by a massive fire which also claimed the life of a six-year-old girl.

The application moved by social-activist Sunil Kumar Aledia claimed that the mobile toilets provided in the area was not cleaned regularly, sleeping provisions were inadequate and the water tanks provided were of insufficient quantity and empty most of the time.

Appearing for Aledia, advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra told the court that situation at the site was "horrible" as people were "sleeping in filth" due to overflowing toilets and with no electricity to provide respite from the heat.

The Delhi government submitted a status report claiming it has provided two tanks of 4,000 litre capacity which are regularly filled up. It also said a round-the-clock CATS ambulance is present at the site, additional mobile toilets have been put in place, sufficient food packets are being distributed and over 100 cheques of Rs 25,000 have been handed out.

Apart from that, 78 more cheques of Rs 25,000 have been sanctioned for distribution, the government told the court.

However, the court said, "Your job is not to just make payments, but also ensure rehabilitation. Needful be done at the earliest." It listed the matter for hearing on May 14.

On April 24, the high court had directed the Delhi government to immediately provide necessary facilities, including water, tents and food, to the slum-dwellers of Mansarovar Park where around 300 shanties were destroyed in the massive fire.

The fresh application by Aledia, has also sought directions to the authorities to organise voter ID and Aadhaar registration camps as the victims have lost their documents in the fire.

As many as 300 shanties were gutted in the blaze that broke out at 1 pm on April 23. Fifteen fire tenders were rushed to the spot near a railway line in Shahdara area and the fire was doused by 3.45 pm, the fire department officials had said.

The body of a girl was found after the fire was doused.

The main petition by Aledia, in which the application was filed, claimed that several livestock such as goats, hens and dogs were also burnt and many people have received burn and other types of injuries.