Rejecting reports of inaction by the Punjab Government in the 2018 Dussehra train tragedy, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday said the departmental action had already been initiated against six police officers and seven employees of the Municipal Corporation Amritsar had been chargesheeted in the case.
“These police and MC personnel had been found guilty of dereliction of duty and necessary action had been ordered against them, based on the findings of the Magisterial Inquiry Report,” Capt Amarinder said.
The magisterial enquiry into the incident, which occurred on October 19, 2018, was conducted by Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner B Purushartha, on the orders of the Chief Minister. A total of 58 persons died and 71 were injured in the tragic mishap.
Taking cognizance of some recent reports, the Chief Minister clarified that due action, as per the law, was being taken against all those found guilty, and there was no question of brushing the matter aside or burying the inquiry report, as alleged in a section of the media. His Government was also taking all possible steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, Amarinder said, pointing out that detailed guidelines were issued to police and local Government officers suggesting corrective measures, including creation of a single window or authority to accept applications and grant permissions for such events.
The Commissionerates of Police in Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar, besides the SDMs in other areas, had already been appointed Single Authority for this purpose, he added.It was also stipulated that the application would contain all relevant information along with detailed checklist and the organisers would be asked to make application at least 15 days before the event.
Organisers would also be charged for security, fire tenders, water tenders, and cleaning etc. In addition to making video-graphing of these functions mandatory, the State Government had also stipulated that permission of the concerned department would be a prerequisite if the event was proposed to be held on Government land.It may be recalled that immediately after the accident, the Chief Minister had ordered compensation at the rate of Rs 5 lakh to the dependents of each of the deceased, with Rs 50,000 compensation for those injured.
Of the Rs 2.9 crore placed at the disposal of Deputy Commissioner Amritsar for disbursal to the kin of the deceased, Rs 2.6 crore had already been disbursed.
Of the 71 injured, compensation for three victims was under process due to non-availability of their known residential addresses, said the spokesperson, adding efforts were in progress to find their alternative locations.
Warning that no procedural irregularity would be tolerated in the organisation, regulation and supervision of such events, the Chief Minister has, meanwhile, urged the public to exercise restraint and observe all due precautions, in view of the ongoing festive season, to complement the administration’s efforts to ensure total safety and security at such events.