West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday ‘apologised’ for the explosion at an illegal firecracker unit in Egra, which resulted in the loss of several lives earlier this month.
Banerjee added that an ex-gratia of Rs 2.5 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of those who died in the blast and a home guard job will be given to one of the family members.
“The Egra incident has opened our eyes, I would like to apologise for this incident. Our government has decided that in the next two weeks, a report will be prepared under the leadership of the Chief Secretary, under which a green firecracker cluster will be formed,” she said, according to news agency ANI.
Earlier, Banerjee had ordered an inquiry by the police’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) right after the incident. The principal Opposition party in the state, BJP, meanwhile demanded that the National Investigation Agency take over the case.
Suspected gunpowder was kept in large quantities in the factory that was being run from the house of Krishnapada Bag, alias Bhanu Bagh at Khadikul village on the West Bengal-Odisha border, The Indian Express had reported at the time. Bag was detained in Odisha soon after the incident occurred.
