The Hindu : Front Page : Panel to probe Godhra train fire

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Friday, Sep 03, 2004

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Panel to probe Godhra train fire

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 2. The Union Cabinet today approved the setting up of a high-level committee, headed by the former Supreme Court Judge, U.C. Banerjee, to probe the fire on the Sabarmati Express at Godhra, Gujarat, in which 58 persons were killed in February 2002.

The committee will submit its findings and recommendations to the Government on aspects relating to railway safety and systems, including rescue and relief operations, upgrading of technology and preventive measures to avoid the recurrence of the Godhra-type incident.

The Government's decision to order a separate, comprehensive inquiry into the incident comes after the Railway Minister, Mr. Lalu Prasad's order in July that there will be a high-power departmental probe into the incident which sparked the worst communal riots and violence in Gujarat in March 2002.

Terms of reference

After the Cabinet meeting, the Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, told reporters that the committee would be empowered under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. Its terms of reference include ascertaining the precise cause of the fire in coach S-6 of the train, as also the events, developments and circumstances that took place after the train left Muzaffarpur in Bihar on February 25, 2002, and before it reached Godhra and beyond. It would also find out if these cases individually or conjointly contributed to the fire.

The probe will ascertain why the train, including the S-6 coach, was overcrowded, why many of the passengers were without reservation and if their behaviour, in any manner, had contributed to the fire. It will also find out if there was any wrongful act, neglect or default on the part of officials and workmen of the railway administration and its security staff but for which such largescale loss of life and property could have been averted.

Three experts

Mr. Justice Banerjee will be assisted by three experts, one each from the electrical and mechanical divisions and one from the fire services. And there will be a secretary to the committee. The probe will look into the probable "internal and external factors" or aggravating circumstances that may have led to the tragedy and ascertain the acts of commission or omission responsible for the cause of the fire and to fix the responsibility individually or collectively.

The adequacy of the fire retardant features in the coaches and the fire-fighting measures to induct superior technology and to suggest safeguards to prevent fire on trains and in railway stations will also be examined. The preparedness and actual response in rescue and relief operations in the S-6 coach will be probed and measures recommended to improve the response in such situations.

Lalu justifies panel

Talking to newspersons in his office, Mr. Prasad justified the setting up of the Justice Banerjee committee, saying that the previous NDA Government and the Commissioner, Railway Safety, had "failed in their duty" to conduct a mandatory probe.

"For eight months, they were sitting silent, taking the plea that the Nanawati Commission was already inquiring into the issue. What were the reasons for not ordering an inquiry? These questions must be answered," he said.

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