AIADMK leader demands solatium for fire victims

Puducherry, Apr 21: AIADMK state secretary and MLA A Anbazhagan today urged the territorial administration to provide a solatium of Rs five lakh each to the families of the two persons charred to death in his Ouppalam constituency.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Anbazhagan said as more than 400 huts were gutted in the fire at Franzwa Thoppe last evening, the administration should provide a compensation of Rs 40,000 each to the affected since they lost all their properties.

He charged the government with discrimination in providing assistance for converting thatched huts into pucca houses under the Perumthalaivar Kamaraj housing scheme.

If the government really intended to make Puducherry hut-free, then it should provide at least 1,500 applications for provision of Rs one lakh assistance for the construction of houses as most number of hut dwellers resided in his constituency, he said.

The AIADMK leader thanked Chief Minister N Rangasamy for visiting the place of fire mishap and consoling the affected persons.

UNI