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Monday, Oct 15, 2007
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Modi announces compensation

Manas Dasgupta

Congress blames government

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced a compensation of Rs.1 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the stampede on the Pavagadh hills, about 50 km from Vadodara. The injured would be provided treatment at government cost.

Eleven people were killed and at least 30 injured, eight of them seriously, in the stampede, caused by an unprecedented rush of devotees for a “darshan” at the famous Mahakali temple atop the hill.

Mr. Modi cancelled his trip to Jamnagar and visited the stampede site. He expressed his sympathy to the family members of the deceased and injured.

Mr. Modi said the government was aware that the Patia Pool strip was too narrow and an incident of this magnitude was only waiting to happen. He claimed that the government had repeatedly requested the Centre to release land under the Forest Department to widen the approach road to the temple.

Immediately after the incident, Health Minister Ashok Bhatt and Minister of State for Home Amit Shah rushed to Pavagadh. They faced the ire of the local people led by a former Congress MLA Rajendra Patel.

The people were particularly angry over the delay in completing the inquest on the bodies and allowing doctors to perform post-mortem. Mr. Patel alleged that the post-mortem was deliberately delayed to allow time for Mr. Modi to reach the spot. Mr. Bhatt regretted the Congress’ attempt to “politicise even an unfortunate incident of stampede.”

Pradesh Congress Committee president Bharat Solanki blamed the government for the incident. It failed to anticipate the heavy rush of people and take necessary steps to regulate the traffic.

Though the Mahakali temple has the facility of ropeway trolleys, most devotees prefer walking up the hill, leading to congestion on the narrow strip, particularly during the morning hours.

The eyewitness accounts claimed that the police control system to regulate the rush and avoid a clash on the narrow strip was missing on Sunday, at least for sometime when stampede took place.

District Superintendent of Police Dipankar Trivedi, however, denied the charge and claimed that there were adequate number of police personnel and every system was in place.

Sonia’s condolence

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday conveyed her condolences to the families of those who died in the stampede. She wished speedy recovery of those who were injured.

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