CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday directed the State Government to submit status report on the liquor tragedy by next week. The tragedy has claimed 34 lives so far in Cuttack and Khurda districts. A Division Bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice BN Mohapatra has posted the hearing on a PIL, filed by advocate Nishikanta Mishra of Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum, to next week. The Forum is seeking a CBI probe into the incident and compensation for victims. The Collectors of Cuttack and Khurda on Monday filed their reports on the steps taken to extend assistance and benefits to the families of victims and stated that 25 families had been provided with ` 10,000 each from the respective district Red Cross societies for funeral rites. Nine belong to Cuttack and 16 to Khurda. The Collectors of Ganjam, Mayurbhanj and Balangir have also been requested to extend similar financial assistance to the bereaved families who have left their places of work following the tragedy. In his affidavit, Cuttack Collector Girish SN stated that nine families had been issued rice for 15 days under the Gratuitous Relief Scheme. The BPL families would be covered under the National Family Benefit Scheme under which ` 10,000 would be provided to the heir. The schoolchildren would be admitted to Government residential schools and eligible SC/ST families covered under income-generating schemes of SC/ST Development Department. Families having no pucca houses would be covered under Mo Kudia housing scheme for 2012-13. These steps would be initiated upon approval by the State Election Commission in view of the model code of conduct being in force. The Khurda administration has deployed six mobile health units in Bingharpur and affected pockets of Balianta block for providing treatment to the tragedy-hit. Raids are being conducted on medicine shops and suspected liquor dens across the district, the administration submitted.
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