New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed sorrow over the tragic death of a minor girl who fell into an open drain in the Mukundpur area of ​​Bhalswa Dairy and ordered the removal of a contractual junior engineer for dereliction of duty.

Describing the incident as extremely distressing and alarming, the Chief Minister stated that such negligence is unacceptable under any circumstances.

Acting swiftly on the Chief Minister’s directives, the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department has dismissed the contractual Junior Engineer from service with immediate effect, said an official.

The Chief Minister affirmed that the government’s priority is to ensure the safety of every citizen, particularly children, who are the most vulnerable.

Issuing a stern warning to all departments, she directed them to identify open drains and other hazardous sites within their respective jurisdictions that pose a threat to life and property, and to rectify them immediately.

The Chief Minister emphasised that direct accountability would be fixed for any form of negligence, and strict action would be taken against those found at fault.

Expressing her deepest condolences to the bereaved family, the Chief Minister stated that the government stands firmly with them during this difficult time.

She further added that preventing the recurrence of such incidents would be the truest tribute to the memory of this child.

Earlier, the Chief Minister met the family members of those killed in a fire incident in Vivek Vihar on Sunday.

“Today, I met with the families of the victims of the heart-wrenching fire accident in Vivek Vihar, Delhi. In this hour of grief, we stand with them with complete sensitivity and resolve, and we are committed to providing them every possible assistance. I pray to God that he grant the bereaved families the strength to endure this immense sorrow,” she wrote on X.

“Taking this unfortunate incident as a grave warning, instructions have been issued to all concerned departments to ensure that such events do not recur in the future and that the highest standards of fire safety are strictly followed. Any negligence or compromise on fire safety standards will not be tolerated,” said the Chief Minister in her social media message.

The incident occurred early on Sunday morning when a massive fire broke out on the second floor of a four-storey residential building in Vivek Vihar at around 4 a.m.

According to officials, 14 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the blaze was brought under control by 6 p.m.

During the rescue operation, around 15 people were evacuated from the building. While some sustained minor injuries and were shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for treatment, nine people, including a toddler, lost their lives in the tragedy.

Police teams, along with fire and emergency services, responded swiftly after receiving information about the fire. A preliminary enquiry has confirmed the death toll, while further investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

–IANS

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