CPI (M) Demands Adequate Compensation and Temporary Shed to Run Business for Fire Victims

Port Blair, Oct 19:Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded adequate compensation to all the fire victims at Aerial Bay Market, Diglipur, North Andaman. In a letter sent to the Lt. Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands today (19.10.2022), Mr. D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) A & N State Organising Committee has said that in the fire broke out at Aerial Bay, Diglipur on 18th October, 2022 afternoon, about 9 shops have been gutted. Except one or two, all these shopkeepers are staying in the same building. The cause of fire is yet to be revealed by the authorities concerned. Mr. Ayyappan stated in the letter that the shopkeepers who have lost everything they earned during their life time in the fire accident have no other source of income.  He informed the Lt. Governor that as per the information he received from Party workers at Diglipur, these poor shopkeepers sustained loss of lakhs of rupees. 

            Mr. Ayyappan further brought to the notice of the Lt Governor that the fire could not be controlled immediately as reportedly it took more than one hour for the fire tenders to arrive at the scene.  He further said that even when the fire tender arrived, reportedly there was not sufficient water in the fire tender and other operational problems. The coast guard and general public also tried to control the fire from further spreading, but could not save the shops which had already gutted in the fire. In this connection, it is also not out of place to mention here that the road leading to the Aerial Bay is in a pathetic condition as the authorities have failed to maintain it properly.  

            CPI (M) Secretary requested the Lt. Governor to sanction adequate compensation to all the affected shopkeepers taking into account the huge loss they sustained in the fire accident. He requested the Lt. Governor that these affected shopkeepers may be provided with the temporary shed near the accident site to run their business as almost all of them fully depend on the business they were running at Aerial Bay.  He urged upon the Lt. Governor to cause an inquiry into the reported failure of the Fire Unit at Diglipur to control the fire so as to take further course of action in the matter.  

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