New Delhi: The Central Government today (Sep 2, 2004) decided to set up a high-level committee to probe the fire in the Sabarmati Express in Godhra in 2002 that was followed by communal violence in Gujarat.

The Committee will be headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice U C Banerjee, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after meetings of the Cabinet, Cabinet Committee on Security and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

Chidambaram said the committee would be empowered under Section 11 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, with all the provisions of the said Act.

He said the high level committee shall submit its findings and recommendations to the Government on aspects relating to railway safety and systems, including rescue and relief operations, upgradation of technology and preventive measures to avoid recurrence.

The terms of references of the committee will include ascertaining the precise cause of fire in coach S-6 of Sabarmati Express on February 27, 2002 and recommend suitable measures to prevent such incidents.

The committee would also ascertain the events, developments and circumstances that took place after the train left Muzaffarpur on February 25, 2002, and before it reached Godhra and beyond (including the States of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) and if these cases individually or conjointly contributed to the fire. The probe would also go into why the said train including the S-6 coach was overcrowded with passengers, many of whom were without reservation and if their behaviour, in any manner, contributed to the fire.

It will also find out if there was any wrongful act, neglect or default on the part of the officials and workmen of the railway administration and its security staff, but for which, such largescale loss of life and property could have been averted.

The probe will also go into probable "internal and external factors" or aggravating circumstances that may have led to the tragedy.

It will also ascertain acts of commission or omission responsible for the cause of the fire and to fix responsibility for the same individually or collectively.

It will also examine adequacy of the fire retardant features of railway coaches and fire fighting measures with a view to inducting a superior technology and to suggest safeguards for prevention of fire on trains and railway stations.

The committee would also go into the preparedness and actual response in rescue and relief operations in the S-6 coach and recommend measures for improving of response in such situations.