BHUBANESWAR: Two members of the ruling BJD on Tuesday made a strong pitch for the state government to take care of the families who lost their main bread earners and children orphaned in the recent bus tragedy at Mendrajpur under Golanthara police limits in Ganjam district.
Gopalpur MLA and former minister Pradeep Panigrahi urged the Speaker to direct the state government to announce a package that will take care of the families who lost their main earning persons, those who became permanently disabled or incapacitated and children orphaned in the tragedy.
Participating on the adjournment motion on Mendrajpur bus tragedy in which 11 persons died and 25 passengers sustained serious injuries due to electrocution, Panigrahi said affected families without any other support system need the assistance of the Government in this hour of crisis.
Highlighting the plight of two children (sisters) who became orphan after the death of their mother in the accident, Panigrahi said their father had died a few years ago.
The two siblings - B Doupadi (15) and her sister B Jyotsna (13) - had lost their father almost a decade ago due to snake bite.
The Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has taken many welfare measures to protect the livelihood of families in distress.
“I urge the Chief Minister through you (Speaker) to announce a package for these hapless victims of the tragedy for their sustenance,” he said.
While giving a clean chit to the Rural Development department, the Gopalpur legislator said the accident could have been avoided had the distribution company Southco taken timely action to fix the sagging 11 KV lines.
Panigrahi’s concern for the affected families found echo in Kabisuryanagar MLA Latika Pradhan who made similar request to the government.