Fire mishaps: 154 dead in Delhi in 2005-06

New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) As many as 154 people were killed and 2176 injured in 126 fire mishaps -- mostly in slum clusters -- in Delhi in 2005-06, Lok Sabha was informed today.

A high of 272 people were killed and 1687 injured in 151 fire incidents in 2004-05 while 235 were killed and 1334 injured in 127 incidents in the capital in 2003-04, Minister of State for Home S Regupathy said in a written reply during Question Hour.

There is no scheme for rehabilitation of persons rendered homeless due to fire mishaps, the Minister said.

-- PRAGATI MAIDAN: The Government is considering a plan to upgrade facilities at Pragati Maidan, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh informed the House.

Income of Rs 9984.23 lakh and Rs 8140.91 lakh were made as against expenditure of Rs 2176.53 lakh and Rs 1496.63 lakh in 2005-06 and 2004-05 respectively from exhibitions and international trade fairs at Pragati Maidan.

In comparison, income of Rs 348.10 lakh and Rs 361.19 lakh were made against expenditures of Rs 269.30 lakh and Rs 244.54 lakh respectively in the same period from similar events organised by the Government in other parts of the country, he informed the Lok Sabha in a written response during Question Hour.

-- FIVE STAR HOTELS: There is no proposal to get the accounts of Hotel Le Meridian and Hotel Taj Mansingh audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Minister of State for Home S Regupathy said.

He informed the House during Question Hour that the New Delhi Municipal Council had licensed land on revenue sharing basis to the two five star hotels.

Hotel Le Meridian had not paid the license fee as per the terms of the license deed, but was paying Rs one crore per month as per the directions of the Delhi High Court where a case is pending, he said.

There is a provision in the agreement for getting the accounts of the two hotels audited by the New Delhi Municipal Council, he informed.

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