Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced an ex gratia of Rs 6.5 lakh each to the next of kin of victims who died in the perfume factory fire in the Baddi industrial area in Solan district.

Sukhu met the family members of the deceased and other affected victims of the fire tragedy that occurred at Jharmajri in the Baddi-Barotiwala industrial area on 2 February.

Expressing deep condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the blaze, the Chief Minister directed the district administration to provide all possible assistance to them.

The Chief Minister also met the families of those missing in the incident and paid a visit to the hospital to inquire about the well-being of the injured.

“The state government stands strongly with the affected families in this hour of grief and it is our responsibility to provide all possible assistance and relief to them,” Sukhu said.

The CM also visited the site of the fire and acquired detailed information about the incident from officers. Later, he issued necessary directives in this regard.

In an interaction with the media, the Chief Minister said that the cause of the massive fire was being investigated. He further said that necessary amendments would be made to law after consulting all stakeholders to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.

He said that an FIR has also been registered and strict action would be taken against the offenders.

The Chief Minister said that an ex gratia of Rs 6.5 lakh each would be given to the families of the deceased.

The injured have been provided Rs 5,000 each as immediate relief and financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per person would be provided soon. The state government has so far distributed Rs 3.05 lakh as relief to the affected families, he added.

Sukhu further said that the government will also consider implementing smart metering and the installation of underground cables in industrial belts.

Five people died in the unfortunate incident and one body is yet to be identified. Five individuals are still missing. Altogether 37 persons suffered injuries in the incident, out of which 13 have been discharged from hospital after treatment.