Jagan demands Rs 1 cr ex-gratia to kin of Simhachalam victims

Visakhapatnam: Former Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded severe action against those responsible for the mishap at Simhachalam temple and an exgratia of Rs.1 crore to the deceased families each from the government.

After interacting with the kin of the deceased families, Jagan came down heavily on the government for its utter negligence in conducting the festival that claimed seven lives and injured a few others.

Speaking to the media after visiting a victim’s house and offering condolences to the bereaved family members, Jagan criticised that the incident claimed lives of innocent devotees as the wall which collapsed killing the devotees was constructed without the prescribed format nor were tenders called for the same. “The construction of the wall was carried out in a hurry, and it was not a RCC wall. It was raining and devotees were asked to queue up along the wall that eventually fell over them killing them instantly. It reflects the government’s sheer negligence in organising the festival,” he expressed concern.

Despite being aware that Chandanotsavam is an annual event and that lakhs of devotees would throng the temple to witness the nijarupa darshan, Jagan said, the authorities did not take proper measures and allowed the devotees to queue up at the 10-feet high wall without providing any security to them. He said that it was customary that it would rain during Chandanotsavam and safety measures should have been taken keeping the inclement weather in view. “We demand that the kin of the deceased families should be given Rs.1 crore exgratia like how the YSRCP government had provided during the LG Polymers gas leak incident. A series of such incidents have been happening ever since the NDA government has assumed office,” Jagan pointed out. During the previous TDP’s tenure, Jagan recalled how 29 lives were lost in the stampede occurred during Godavari pushkarams and now in eleven months’ time since the NDA government took over, similar incidents were repeatedly taking place due to sheer negligence of the government. “Chandrababu tried to politicise Tirupati laddu issue and during Vaikunta Ekadasi, six people died in the stampede as the devotees were flocked in a park and the gates were suddenly opened. The policeforce was deputed to Kuppam for Chandrababu’s visit and the devotees had to pay a heavy price. Also, we have seen cows dying in large numbers at Tirupati Ghosala and star tortoises dying at Srikurmam,” Jagan mentioned.

The former CM criticised that Chandrababu Naidu is good at forming a committee whenever such incidents occur and the whereabouts of the report will never be known. During the Tirupati incident, the SP was transferred but given a better posting, he pointed out.

Jagan demanded the government to take stringent action against those responsible for the incident instead of resorting to diversionary tactics.