North MCD to compensate Mangolpuri factory fire victims: Delhi HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday held a municipal body liable to compensate the kin of four persons who were killed in a factory blaze four years ago, saying as the North MCD had failed to stop such units operating illegally.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the Commissioner of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to carry out an inquiry to fix liability on its officers responsible for the misuse of properties in the Mangolpuri area of west Delhi.

"This incident happened as the NDMC failed to discharge its duties and did not take action when illegal factories came up in the area. NDMC cannot avoid its liability to compensate. Commissioner, 
NDMC to carry out an inquiry to fix liability for misuse of properties in the Mangolpuri area and file a report," the court said.

It directed the NDMC Commissioner to carry out the probe and file a report before the next hearing on December 14.

The bench was hearing a PIL over the incident of fire breaking out in the early hours of March 12, 2013 in a shoe factory at Mangolpuri and in which three young men, Kuldeep (22), Chander Shekhar (20) and Raj (24), and a 13-year-old boy, Salman, were killed and a workman Mithlesh (18) was seriously injured.

The petitioner, a lawyer, has contended in her petition that the State cannot abrogate its responsibility in the matter and ought to pay compensation to the victims.