Kolkata, June 16 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced compensation on behalf of the state government for the owners of around 1,300 shops in the Khidirpur area in south Kolkata that were completely gutted in a devastating fire earlier in the day.

After attending the 6th day of the monsoon session of the state assembly, the Chief Minister accompanied by her Cabinet colleagues reached the spot of fire on Monday afternoon and announced the compensation for the owners of these shops.

She said that each of the owners will be paid a one-time compensation of Rs 1,00,000 and in addition, the state government will also arrange for an alternative marketplace for these shop owners free of cost.

Till that time, the Chief Minister said, alternative and permanent arrangements in the matter would be made, these owners would be provided with temporary spaces for setting up their shops during that interim period.

“The owners whose shops have been gutted will be provided with a one-time compensation of Rs 1,00,000. The compensation amount will be Rs 50,000 for those whose shops were partially gutted,” the Chief Minister said.

She also directed the city police to cordon the gutted marketplace by raising barricades around it.

Around 1,300 shops in the area were gutted. Besides informing the central control line of the state fire services department, the local people also started the initial task of fire fighting.

However, because of the congested area where the marketplace was located, the fire started spreading rapidly, and the entire market area came under the grip of fire within a very short period.

The local people have alleged that the fire would not have taken the devastating shape had the fire tenders reached the spot in time. The state fire services minister, Sujit Bose, who rushed to the place in the morning, however, denied the allegations.

However, the state fire services minister Sujit Bose dismissed the allegations and claimed that shop owners in the area and said that often the owners of the shops were also negligent in adopting fire safety norms.

–IANS

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