The Hindu : National : Sonia announces Rs. 1 crore Central relief for kin of fire victims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 19, 2004

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National

Sonia announces Rs. 1 crore Central relief for kin of fire victims

By G. Srinivasan

The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, consoling family members of the school fire victims at the Kumbakonam Government Hospital on Sunday. — Photo: K. Ganesan

Kumbakonam July 18. The All- India Congress Committee president, Sonia Gandhi, today said that a sum of Rs. 1 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre for providing relief to parents of the deceased in Friday's fire accident at a private school in Kumbakonam. The amount was also meant for a pilot project to improve schools in and around the town.

Ms. Gandhi met the injured children undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital here and consoled the parents of the children. She told presspersons that "on behalf of [the] Prime Minister, I am required to tell that a sum of Rs. 1 crore had been allotted for providing relief to the parents of deceased children in the accident. The families would get Rs. 50,000 each. A sum of Rs. 50 lakhs would be utilised for taking up a pilot project for improving schools in and around Kumbakonam.

Under the project, thatched roofs would be replaced with concrete structures, and teachers would be trained in fire fighting and fire safety measures. They would also be provided training in safe cooking in school kitchens. This pilot project would be implemented in consultation with the representatives of the local bodies and residents. Besides this, Rs. 10,000 would be provided to the families of the injured children as relief. The Union Human Resource Ministry is releasing Rs. 25 lakhs from the Children's Welfare Fund for taking up welfare measures for the injured children.

Ms. Gandhi said that the tragedy shocked and stunned the whole nation. "We have to learn lessons from such tragedies. All of us should involve ourselves in seeing that such tragedies do not recur," Ms. Gandhi said. Asked whether the AICC would extend some relief to the families of the victims, she said that she would consider the matter. She appreciated the efforts taken by some officials, particularly the District Collector Ms. Gandhi spent five to ten minutes consoling the parents of the victims.

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