Stung by fire incidents in various parts of Bihar due to searing heat conditions, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered officials to issue an advisory to people not to light fire between 9 AM and 6 PM and observe ‘havan’ and puja before nine in the morning.
Kumar asked Principal Secretary, Disaster Management, to issue an advisory to this effect while reviewing cases of fire in Patna division comprising six districts-Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Buxar and Bhabua, an official statement said.
He also instructed the Power Secretary to change loose electricity wire from various areas as a preventive step.
On Sunday, RJD president Lalu Prasad also laid emphasis on curtailing use of fire to avoid accidents in view of soaring heat condition in the state. Kumar ordered the officials to provide compensation to family of victims of fire.
The CM also directed to submit proposal for purchase of additional fire equipment immediately.
Reacting to this government decision, Satender Bind, who lost his hut in a fire in a village in Bihar’s Jehanabad district, told NDTV, “It sounds fine but I wonder how many people will follow it. There are practical difficulties. But yes… I did lose my home in a fire and it started from someone’s cooking.”
Over 700 houses had been gutted due to the Darbhanga fire.
Four children were charred to death after fire broke out at Pokhrawan village under Kajra police station of Lakhisarai district, Kajra police SHO Ranjit Kumar had said.
The fire was caused by an electrical spark at a villager’s home during cooking which also spread to neighbouring Ranjit Thakur’s home, the SHO had said.
The flames were so severe that all the four children including goods were reduced to ashes and that’s why the bodies could not be recovered, he added.
Starting today, the CM would hold review meetings of division, to take stock of fire incidents and also status of implementation of total liquor ban in the state, the statement said.
The meeting observed that water level has gone down in Patna division in comparison to that in the last two years.
On this, the CM ordered to ensure supply of drinking water through tankers in affected areas and also get the handpump repaired.
(With Agency Inputs)
