Raigad building collapse: State government to give Rs.5 lakh ex-gratia to kin of deceased

On Tuesday, Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar announced that the state government will provide ex-gratia of Rs.5 lakh to the kin of the deceased in the Raigad building collapse. Additionally, the injured individuals shall be given financial assistance of up to Rs.50,000. He confirmed that at least 10 persons had lost their lives so far. Wadettiwar added that the state Cabinet shall deliberate on helping people who have lost their houses. Revealing that the quality of construction material was very poor, he vowed that the Maharashtra government shall not spare the people responsible for the collapse of the building leading to the death of innocent people.

Read: Local Authorities, NDRF At Building Collapse Site In Raigad Providing All Possible Help: PM Modi

Mishap in Raigad

In a major mishap on Monday, August 24, a 5-storey building in the Kajalpura area in Mahad tehsil, Raigad district of Maharashtra collapsed at around 7 pm. There were over 45 flats in the building. 15 people were evacuated and sent for treatment to a local hospital.

Mentioning that 5 rescue teams are on the spot, MoS Tourism Aditi Tatkare added that more teams were on the way. Subsequently, three teams of the National Disaster Response Force left for the accident site from Pune. They carried all the necessary equipment, canine squad, etc. Speaking to the media earlier in the day, NDRF officer Alok Kumar stated that 17 more people are feared trapped. 

Read: Raigad Building Collapse: Amit Shah Speaks To NDRF Chief, Fadnavis Expresses 'shock'

Centre takes stock of the situation 

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray took stock of the on-ground situation. He spoke to local MLA Bharat Gogawale and District Collector Nidhi Chaudhary to inquire about the building collapse. Thackeray assured them that all possible support shall be extended for speedy rescue and relief works. 

Saddened by the building collapse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the families of the deceased. He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured persons. Terming the mishap as "tragic", Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the NDRF Director General regarding the rescue operations. 

Read: Maharashtra Building Collapse: 4-year-old Rescued By NDRF, Netizens Laud The 'great Work'