Kandivali fire: Victims refuse to part with LPG cylinders

Already stressed about losing everything they had in Monday's fire, residents of Bhim Nagar in Damu Nagar slums were enraged on Wednesday morning when staffers of gas companies came to pick up their LPG cylinders. Apprehensive residents claimed that they did not allow the staffers to lift the cylinders as they were denied receipts.

There was no way the gas companies could ascertain as to whom the cylinders belonged nor did the slum-dwellers had any proof of claim, given that all the documents were lost in fire.

The chaotic situation became intense when the staffers insisted on lifting the cylinders and slum dwellers strongly objected to it. The residents claimed that while the staffers assured that all the cylinders will be kept in a safe godown, they were not giving out receipts. They told them that unless receipts were handed over to each rightful owner, they would not allow them to lift a single cylinder.

Rahul Damodar Khune, a resident of the slum, said, "We have decided that we will not let them take our cylinders, whatever condition they may be in," he said and added: "When we would want the cylinders back, they would ask for proof. Which we do not have. And they are not willing to give us receipts," he said.

Since Monday evening, the fire brigade and local volunteers managed to remove 1,200 LPG cylinders from the fire site. "There should be at least 400 -500 more cylinders. They are being removed with the clearing of each shanty," said Darshan Watkar, a social worker from the area.

Watkar said that the magnitude of the disaster is so high that nothing is left with any slum dweller. "Also, the collector's office and the police are trying to keep everything under the wraps. They do not want to show the quantum as they will have to provide huge relief and monetary compensation. While people from the neighbourhood and NGOs are helping, the collector's office has not given anything besides a Rs3,800 cheque. Most people don't even have their bank accounts in their name. What will they with the cheques," argued Watkar.

However, Watkar said that he and other volunteers and social workers will make it a point that all the facts are out. "We are demanding a house and Rs1 lakh compensation for each of them," said Watkar.