THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A judicial enquiry has been ordered into the fireworks manufacturing unit explosion at Mundathikode in Thrissur, with the state cabinet on Wednesday announcing a one-member commission headed by Justice CN Ramachandran Nair to probe the incident.
The Cabinet, which met online under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, also decided to recommend declaring the explosion a “special disaster” and has directed the State Disaster Management Authority’s executive committee to take necessary steps.
The government announced an immediate financial assistance of Rs 14 lakh to the dependents of those killed in the explosion - Rs 4 lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).
Those injured will receive the admissible amount under SDRF norms in addition to Rs 2 lakh from the CMDRF. The state will bear treatment expenses for the injured for up to six months in government or private hospitals, with funds to be released from the CMDRF based on the District Collector’s recommendation, along with eligible SDRF assistance.
If treatment extends beyond six months, expenses in empanelled private hospitals will be covered based on the recommendation of a medical board.
The cabinet also approved compensation for restoration works undertaken during rescue operations, including demolition of compound walls and filling of paddy fields in the area. The actual costs will be reimbursed from the SDRF based on the District Collector’s report.
Instructions have been issued to state executive committee of the state disaster management authority inorder to formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) for burial of bodies and collection of samples for DNA matching.
The cabinet ratified the earlier sanction of Rs 50 lakh from the SDRF for immediate response activities and authorised the district collector to utilise the amount for expenses related to rescue and relief operations.
The district collector has also been tasked with urgently assessing damage to nearby houses and submitting a report to facilitate compensation through SDRF.