NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday cut down by about a half the compensation for the victims of the June 1997 Uphaar theatre fire tragedy.
A Bench comprising Justice R V Raveendran and Justice A K Patnaiak also cut down steeply the punitive damages that are to be paid by the theatre owners, Ansal brothers - Gopal and Sushil- to Centre from a whopping Rs 2.5 crore to a mere Rs 25 lakh.
The Bench reduced compensation for those above 20 years of age from `18 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and for the victims below the age of 20 years, it is reduced to Rs 7.5 lakh from Rs15 lakh.
The Bench held the Ansals and the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) as jointly and severally liable to pay the damages. It asked the Ansals to pay 85 percent of the compensation. The remaining would be paid by the DVB, it ruled.
With the ruling, the order of the Delhi High Court dated April 24, 2003, stands modified. The High Court had awarded a total compensation of Rs 18.5 crore.
The Bench absolved the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi police of their liabilities to bear 15 per cent each of the compensation.
The Bench, however, retained that part of the High Court verdict that mandated payment of Rs 1 lakh as compensation to those injured in the incident.
As many as 59 people were burnt to death and 103 people injured on the fateful night of June 13, 1997, on the maiden show of the blockbuster Hindi movie, Border. The fire was sparked by a blast in a transformer in an underground parking lot in the five-storey building, which housed the cinema hall and several offices.
The Bench said that the theatre personnel should be thoroughly trained in the fire fighting skills and evacuation of the audience in case of such a calamity. And there should be a mandatory half-yearly survey of theatres by the government authorities on safety measures, Justice Raveendran ruled.