Ludhiana Fire and Building Collapse: Procedure to declare three missing firemen dead nearing completion, says deputy commissioner

The families of three missing firemen — Manohar Lal, Sukhdev Singh and Manpreet Singh — are waiting for their death certificates without which they cannot get Rs 10 lakh compensation also announced by the state government. The families on December 13 had met officials at fire office requesting that death certificates be issued at the earliest. On Monday, VK Meena, Divisional Commissioner, Patiala, who is conducting an independent inquiry in the incident as ordered by CM Amarinder Singh, chaired a meeting at Ludhiana, in which officials from various departments including Fire, Municipal Corporation, police among others participated.

Speaking to The Indian Express after the meeting, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Pardeep Aggarwal, said, “We had formed a five-member committee including myself, civil surgeon, MC commissioner, deputy commissioner of police and district attorney (DA administration) to start proceedings on declaring three firemen dead. All five members have submitted their opinions and the procedure is now near completion. The final decision of the committee will be declared in a couple of days.” He added that a probe conducted by SDM Amarjit Bains into non-recovery of three bodies has been concluded too.

Meanwhile, Meena, who is heading the one-man enquiry commission said that various departments have submitted the records related to the building which he had called for.

“It was a review meeting to seek some clarifications from various departments. Almost all the records are in,” he said.

Sources further said that all nine families of nine firefighters will be given cheques of Rs 10 lakh compensation each together once three missing are also declared dead.