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Rajnath Singh demands judicial commission

Administration trying to cover up death toll, says BJP leader; `DNA test should be done to establish identities of the bodies '

Meerut: BJP President Rajnath Singh on Monday demanded that a judicial commission be set up to probe into the devastating fire tragedy at a trade fair in Meerut on Monday.

He said the Commission should be time bound and the person heading it should be approved by the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.

Mr Singh, who visited the local hospitals here and enquired about the health of the injured, said the treatment should be provided free of cost.

The BJP president alleged the administration was trying to cover up the exact death toll even as a number of people were still missing.

``A number of women and children were unaccounted for in the death toll,'' Mr Singh added.

He further termed ``shameful and deplorable'' the decision to use bulldozers to clean the accident site without completing the investigations at the scene.

Mr Singh said DNA test should be done to establish the identities of the bodies which were burnt beyond recognition.

He said party MLAs and MPs from Uttar Pradesh will be contributing one month salary towards the treatment and medical expenses of the injured.

Amid conflicting reports official sources said as many as 60 people, including women and children, were charred to death and about 119 injured as a devastating fire swept through a crowded Brand India Consumer Show at the Victoria Park last evening.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has demanded a high-level probe into the incident. She accused the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government of ``concealing the real number of deaths''.

``The sheer size of the pandal indicates the gravity of the fire. Government is suppressing the number of casualties in the fire,'' she said.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also interacted briefly with the relatives of some of the victims who perished in the blaze. Later, she visited Jaswant Rai Speciality Hospital and met some of the injured.

Earlier, UPCC chief Salman Khursheed visited the place and urged the people to come together in this hour of need.

Safety norms

Stung by the criticism of the Meerut district administration in tackling the fire, the Uttar Pradesh Government ordered implementation of proper safety norms during cultural festivals and exhibitions attended by people in large numbers.

Principal Secretary (Home) S. K. Aggarwal on Tuesday said orders have been issued to all district magistrates and police chiefs, divisional commissioners, DG (Fire), ADG (Law and Order) and the Director General of Police (DGP) asking them to ensure that proper safety norms were adhered to in the future during such programmes to avoid Meerut-like tragedy.

``Suitable and prompt action should be taken under UP Fire Prevention and Safety Act, 2005 and other relevant Acts, including the Indian Penal Code, against the violators,'' the note read.

The Home department official said it has been noticed that at times exhibitors or organisers do not follow the norms. ``They should be made to follow the fire safety methods,'' the note added

Comsumex put off

ALLAHABAD: Organisers have put off the four-day ``Comsumex'' slated to begin here from April 13 in the wake of the fierce fire at Brand India Fair in Meerut.

Chief organiser of the Consumer Expo Rajiv Chaddha said that the decision to postpone the fair was taken following the Meerut tragedy. Over 200 reputed companies from across the country were likely to put up their stalls at the Consumex at the K. P. College Ground, he added.

The event would now be held at a later date, Mr Chaddha said.

Rodrigues expresses grief

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Gen. (Retd) S. F. Rodrigues has expressed profound grief over the loss of life and property in the fire

Expressing his sympathies with members of the bereaved families, General Rodrigues offered all help in terms of extending medical assistance to the affected people in Chandigarh hospitals.

He asked officers of the Chandigarh Administration and other social, commercial and religious organisations to ensure that all fire-fighting precautions were in place, during fairs, festivals and other events organised on different occasions. PTI/UNI

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