Raipur
The Chhattisgarh government has revealed that the Balodabazar arson incident resulted in property damage worth about ₹12 crore.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Balodabazar District Collector Deepak Soni and Superintendent of Police Vijay Agarwal shared important information regarding the actions being taken following the fire at the district headquarters and the future strategy.
Collector Soni stated that the estimated damage from the fire incident amounts to approximately ₹12 crore, which includes damage to the Joint District Office building, District Panchayat Office, District Election Office, Tehsil and Registration Office building, vehicles, equipment, and furniture. The assessment of other damages in the town is ongoing. Compensation is being provided by insurance companies for vehicle damages, with 7-8 vehicle owners already receiving funds, and about 23 cases are under process.
The Collector reported that approximately 240 private and government vehicles were damaged in the incident, including 31 completely burnt private and government four-wheelers, 60 two-wheelers, 27 damaged four-wheelers, and around 122 damaged two-wheelers. Vehicles without insurance are being evaluated. A Victim Relief Committee has been formed to improve the physical and mental health of the victims. A team has also been set up to address document damage. Reconstruction of documents in the police, excise, district planning, and statistics departments has begun. Continuous meetings are being held to maintain law and order. So far, meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, civil society, non-governmental organizations, farmer organizations, and petrol pump operators have been conducted to seek their cooperation in restoring peace. Appropriate capacity CCTV cameras have been recommended for installation. Discussions with social organizations are being held to foster a harmonious environment in the district, and suggestions are being sought. A district-level social media monitoring team has been established, which is monitoring round the clock. Restrictive actions are being taken against negative and provocative posts. Additionally, peace committee meetings have been held to maintain peace and order. Lists of rented houses and shops are to be provided to the nearest police station, and lists of contract workers are to be given to the concerned department. The Collector mentioned that soon there will be meetings with field officers, secretaries, patwaris, RIs, and sarpanches. He appealed to the media for their cooperation in improving the district’s image.
Superintendent of Police Agarwal stated that every aspect of the incident is being thoroughly investigated. So far, 138 people have been taken into custody. The social media monitoring team is keeping a close watch, reaching the sources of posts, and blocking accounts as necessary.
