DABWALI, December 25: Two years after the Dabwali fire, the victims and their families are still waiting for the Government to fulfill its promises of relief.On the second anniversary of the tragedy on Wednesday, shradhanjali samarohs were organised to pay homage to the dead. The incident had claimed 442 lives and left over 120 injured.No government representative was present at the function. The people attributed this to the apathetic attitude of the Government towards the victims' families. They alleged that the Government had not fulfilled any of its promises so far.The Government had undertaken to build a memorial at the site of the tragedy. It had also promised a stadium, hospital and community centre. However, while it is yet to acquire land for the memorial and stadium, the hospital and community centre are being built at a very slow pace.Moreover, those who were disabled and disfigured in the fire are still waiting for the plastic surgery promised by the Government. The plastic surgeon who had been appointed to the civil hospital here, was transferred within one month of his appointment.The Government has allegedly failed to keep its word on meeting the expenses for the treatment of victims at the hospital of their choice - in the country or abroad.As a mark of their protest, residents of the town observed a complete bandh yesterday. Sab dharam sammelans were organised at three different places and students of DAV Centenary Public School took out a silent procession.According to reports, following the fire, five persons have committed suicide due to depression in the last two years. About a dozen houses lie locked as their residents perished in the fire. Some of the people are reported to have lost their sanity also.Speaking to The Indian Express, Harpal Singh Dhillon, president of Dabwali Fire Victims' Association, said the Government should shoulder the responsibility of treating the injured and for their rehabilitation. He accused the Government of having backtracked on its promise to construct a memorial within six months of the tragedy.Raj Kumar Sachdeva, who lost six of his family members in the tragedy, said that despite a court directive, the Government was not reimbursing the medical bills of those who were still undergoing treatment at different medical institutions.Bharatiya Janata Party district general secretary Dev Kumar alleged that some selfish persons, who had never extended any help to the victims, were trying to get political mileage out of the incident. He added that it was due to such persons that the victims were not able to sink their differences even at the shradhanjali samaroh.Newly appointed SDM Inder Singh, has meanwhile, said he had reviewed all the victims' cases and would try his best to deliver justice. He said he had written to the higher authorities to fulfill the promises made to the residents.
