Chorbagan tragedy: 19 dead, 24 undergoing treatment; Bengal forms team to inspect major Kolkata puja pandals
Kolkata, Oct 18 (UNI) Nineteen people died and 24 injured people are presently undergoing treatment following the Chorbagan tragedy, prompting the West Bengal government to form a special team to inspect the arrangements at Kolkata's major Durga Puja pandals and recommend safety measures.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari formed the team on Saturday night, comprising state Disaster Management Secretary Rajesh Singh, Fire Services Director General Anuj Sharma and Special Task Force Additional Director General Javed Shamim. The team will inspect popular puja pandals in Kolkata with assistance from the Kolkata Police and submit its report to state Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh.
The Director General of Police will guide the team. Adhikari said puja committees would have to follow the team's recommendations. If a pandal's structure is found to be unsafe or at risk of collapse, the organisers may have to restrict the celebrations to the puja rituals conducted by priests. LED screens could be installed outside the pandals so that visitors can watch the programmes without entering the premises. "If necessary, conduct the puja with only the priest performing the rituals. If the structure is damaged or could collapse, stop after the puja. Install LED screens outside so that people can watch the programmes inside," the chief minister said.
The chief minister reached Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on Saturday night after receiving news of the accident. The injured were taken to the hospital, where he held an emergency meeting with the authorities before visiting the accident site at Chorbagan later in the night. With Ashtami, Navami and Dashami still remaining, the police and administration are taking steps to prevent a recurrence of such an incident during the remaining days of the festival.
Adhikari urged people to remain cautious over the next two to three days. He, however, clarified that all pujas could not be stopped in the wake of the tragedy. Several popular pandals in Kolkata have been witnessing unexpectedly large crowds, and the authorities would work to identify and rectify any shortcomings. He also sought cooperation from puja committees. The state government has opened a toll-free helpline, 18003455678, following the accident. Adhikari assured the families of the deceased that the incident would be investigated and that the authorities would examine who was responsible for the arrangements.
CCTV footage would also be collected as part of the investigation. Police detained 12 members of the puja committee and began questioning them on Saturday night. The chief minister also announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by a judge, would probe the accident. The team would include officials from agencies such as the Special Task Force and the Criminal Investigation Department. Adhikari said he would write to Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Rabindra V. Ghuge seeking the appointment of a judge to lead the investigation.
The SIT would examine eyewitness accounts and investigate different aspects of the incident to establish the cause of the tragedy. The state government announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh for the family of each deceased person, along with a Group D government job for one member of each bereaved family. The government will also bear the medical expenses of the injured and provide Rs 5 lakh to each injured person. The Prime Minister's Office has separately announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the family of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for each injured person.
UNI SAG IM
