Maheshtala fire affected to be rehabilitated: minister

The West Bengal government is committed to rehabilitate the homeless in the Mahestala fire and the process has already begun, urban development minister Firhad Hakim said today.

The minister said that tin sheds will be constructed to shelter the affected in the March 16 fire and a water body will be created to meet emergency needs as the area was fire prone.

The government will also dig tubewells and set up a common sanitation facility in the area, he told the state Assembly.

Hakim took umbrage at the tendency to politicise incidents of fire.

Trinamool Congress MLA from Mahestala Kasturi Das sought an investigation into the fire that reduced more than 700 shanties to ashes on the city's outskirts.