Families of Uphaar fire victims meet president

Calcutta News.Net
Friday 10th July, 2009 (IANS)

Families of those killed in a fire in Uphaar cinema here in 1997 met President Pratibha Patil Friday and appealed for a commission to ensure safety standards in public places.

Neelam Krishnamurthy, the convenor of the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), said: 'Even after 12 years of the tragedy no improvement has been seen in the area of public safety. We have submitted a petition to the president urging the need for a national public safety commission.'

The president assured them that she will forward the representation to the law ministry for perusal of the matter, Krishnamurthy said.

According to the petition, there should be a legislation that sets safety standards for public places and prescribes stringent punishment on its violation.

Such commissions exists in countries like Canada, Britain, Japan and South Korea, she said.

'We highlighted the fact that there is an urgent need to have stricter legal provisions so that the culprits behind such incidents are punished. This will instil fear in the minds of wrongdoers,' said Krishnamurthy, who lost her two children in the fire tragedy.

On June 13, 1997, a fire broke out during screening of a hindi film in Uphaar cinema. Fifty nine people, including women and children, died due to asphyxia in the accident.

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