Court cuts payout to victims’ families

New Delhi: The families of the victims of the 1997 Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy have been left disappointed after the Supreme Court's verdict yesterday that reduced the amount of compensation.

The apex court cut compensation for those over 20 years of age from Rs1.8 million (Dh 134,587) to Rs1 million, while for those under 20, the amount was reduced from Rs1.5 million to Rs750,000.

Cinema hall owners Ansals were asked to pay 85 per cent of the compensation money to the families of the victims, while the Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) was asked to pay 15 per cent of the amount.

The horrific blaze on June 13, 1997, during the screening of the Hindi film Border claimed 59 lives and injured more than 100 people in the subsequent stampede.

‘Not about money'

The fire was sparked by a blast in a transformer in an underground car park in the five-storey building which housed the cinema hall and several offices.

"We had a long battle of 15 years… after today's verdict, overall, I can say that we are very, very disappointed," said Neelam Krishnamurthy, who lost two children in the blaze and is convenor of the Association of Victims of the Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT). "This is not about money but the point is that if you want to bring in deterrence you must make those responsible to pay hefty damages."

Agreed Durga Das, who lost his son in the tragedy.

"I am really disappointed… what can I say. It is disappointing. Our fight was not for money but we wanted a judgment that would act as a deterrent so that nobody else meets the same fate like our children," said Das.

Lashing out at the cinema hall owners, Ansals, as well as the government agencies, the victims' families said those responsible should be made to pay hefty fines.

"By exonerating the government agencies there is a very strong message which is going down and that is ‘flout the rules as much as you want to and keep on giving away the NOC's [no objection certificates] without inspections, we are going to do nothing about you,'" said Krishnamurthy.

Free hand

"The verdict means that Delhi Police and the MCD [Municipal Corporation of Delhi] will continue to have a free hand in issuing NOCs in return for money," said an aggrieved family member of a victim.

Krishnamurthy also targeted the apex court as well as the government for dragging their feet in bringing in a strong law to prevent any similar incidents.

"The Supreme Court has lost a very good opportunity of laying down a new law," she said.