Chandigarh, March 5 (IANS) Fifteen years after 446 perople were killed in a fire accident in Dabwali town of the state in 1995, the Haryana government Friday sanctioned Rs.16.67 crore to be paid to the victims as compensation.

'The compensation amount has been sanctioned in compliance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court dated Nov 9, 2009. The amount includes compensation and interest payable on it,' said a government spokesperson here Friday evening.

As many as 446 people, most of them women and children, were burnt alive when the marquee caught fire and collapsed on over 1,000 people attending a function of DAV Centenary Public School at Dabwali town, 350 km from here, on Dec 23, 1995.

The accident left 20 children disabled for life and 200 others suffered severe burn injuries.

'The state government has already sanctioned Rs.4.49 crore and now a total of Rs.21.26 crore has been given to the victims,' the official said.

The compensation amount includes the share payable by Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), a government-run power discom and the municipal corporation of Dabwali.

'The amount would now be deposited with the additional civil judge, Dabwali, for disbursement among claimants,' the spokesperson said.