Telangana Home Minister Mahmood Ali says strict action will be taken against godown
The Hindu
Mahmood Ali said all assistance is being extended to the victims’ families. Their mortal remains would be sent to their home State
Home Minister Mahmood Ali reached Bhoiguda where 11 migrant workers perished in a raging fire in a godown on March 23 morning and said strict action would be taken against those responsible.
The Home Minister was speaking to the media even as smoke issues from within the cracks and fissures of a timber depot-cum-scrap godown, several hours after firemen doused the flames, a reminder of how infernal the blaze was. “The owner of the godown is at fault. He will be arrested and action will be taken against him,” Mr. Ali said.
While there were 12 migrant worker in the godown, 11 died and one is injured. He is being treated at Gandhi Hospital. Mr. Ali said all assistance is being extended to the victims’ families. Their mortal remains would be sent to their home State.
Touching upon the issue of illegal godowns, he said a meeting would be convened later in the afternoon where the number of illegal godowns and the number of migrant workers would be ascertained. Since the fire broke out early in the morning, a phalanx of police cordoned off the the area, even as firemen pointed out that the structure, made of blue and white profile sheets, remained unstable. Politicians, including Hyderabad Mayor Vijayalaxmi Gadwal, reached the spot.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.