BERHAMPUR: Four days after the electrocution tragedy, which claimed the lives of 10 people, State Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera along with Science and Technology Minister Ashok Panda visited Dankalpadu village on Wednesday.
They met the families of the deceased and injured in the village and assured all assistance by the State Government. The villagers urged them to pay compensation of Rs 15 lakh each to those who died in the mishap along with jobs to their family members.
The Ministers said they will place the matter before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is scheduled to chair a meeting on the incident on Friday.
Behera blamed Southco and the bus driver for the mishap. He said the bus should not have been allowed into the village due to the grave risk posed by sagging wires. BJP leaders, Bibhuti Jena and Kanhu Charan Pati too reached the village on the day to console the families.
A few party workers staged a dharna in front of the Southco corporate office here demanding fulfilment of their seven-point charter of demands. The demands include employment to a member of the deceaseds’ families, compensation of Rs 10 lakh, increasing the height of electricity wires, Rs 2 lakh compensation for the injured and others. Southco authorities assured to place the demands with their higher ups for consideration.
Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange along with Sub-Collector SD Bhausaheb had visited the village on Tuesday. They handed over Rs 10,000 to the two minor siblings-Draupadi and B Jyotshna who were orphaned after their mother B Eramma Reddy died in the mishap. The Collector advised the two to continue their studies and assured all possible assistance from the district administration.