‘Mundathikode accident to be declared state’s specific disaster; directive issued to release SOP,’ says K Rajan

THRISSUR: Minister K Rajan said the state cabinet convened here Wednesday decided to declare the Mundathikode fireworks accident as state’s specific disaster. The minister informed this while briefing the cabinet. He also stated that necessary directions have been given to the state disaster management authority to declare it as a special disaster.

‘This accident must be declared a state specific disaster to enable the kind of assistance and measures we are planning. The families of those who died in the accident will receive Rs 4 lakh from the state disaster response fund and Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund, totaling Rs 14 lakh. The injured will receive compensation as per the disaster response fund norms, along with an additional Rs 2 lakh from the chief minister’s relief fund.

If treatment is required for more than six months, medical expenses in recommended private hospitals will be covered from the chief minister’s relief fund based on the decision of a medical board. To facilitate search and rescue operations, walls of nearby private properties were demolished and fields were filled. The actual cost of restoring these to their original condition will be reimbursed from the disaster response fund based on the district collector’s recommendation.

Instructions have also been issued to the state executive committee of the State Disaster Management Authority to release a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling the burial of bodies and collection of samples for DNA matching in connection with the disaster.

An emergency allocation of Rs 50 lakh from the Disaster Response Fund, sanctioned yesterday for immediate response, has been approved. The district collector has been authorized to utilize this amount for disaster response expenses. The collector has also been tasked with urgently assessing the damage caused to nearby houses due to the explosion and submitting a report to facilitate financial assistance from the SDRF,’ said K Rajan said.

Meantime, a stop memo has been issued for the making of fireworks in Paramekkavu. The stop memo was issued by the Palakkad District Collector. A massive explosion occurred yesterday at the fireworks manufacturing unit at Kuttankulam in Mundathikode set up for Thrissur Pooram. 14 people lost their lives in the accident. The collector ordered a stop to the production of fireworks in Paramekkavu today.