The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Assembly salutes KSEB staff

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Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Assembly salutes KSEB staff

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In somewhat a rare happening, Kerala Assembly observed a minute’s silence during zero hour on Tuesday in honour of the four Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) employees who had lost their lives while trying to repair the leaking penstock pipes at the Panniar power project on Monday evening.

Although major tragedies have got reported to the House instantly, only very rarely if at all, has the House chosen to honour the dead with a spur-of-the moment minute’s silence. Loud encomiums were also paid to the deceased engineers and workers of the KSEB by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, Electricity Minister A.K. Balan and Congress deputy legislature party G. Karthikeyan. Deputy Speaker Jose Baby, who was in the Chair at the time, also praised the bravery and commitment to the duty shown by the KSEB staff.

The issue was raised in the form of a submission by Roshy Augustine (KC-M), who called for urgent steps on the part of the Government to find the missing four persons and provide relief to the next of kin of the deceased and the people affected by the sudden onrush of water in the downhill area.

Replying to the submission, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said the services of the Navy and Coast Guard personnel had been sought for the rescue operations. He said the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday would take the necessary decisions for protecting the next of kin of those who had lost their lives and those who had sustained heavy damage as a result of the accident.

Mr. Balan identified the deceased as Jose Xavier, assistant engineer; Shibu Abraham, overseer; Sunny, worker; and Johny, overseer. He said the accident is understood to have occurred when the block anchoring the penstock joint to the ground got dislocated. Experts have been asked to look into the reasons for the accident, the Minister said. He added that the Government would protect the families of the deceased.

The Chief Minister termed the incident most unfortunate and praised the KSEB staff for having shown rare courage and commitment in cause of the State and the institution for which they worked.

The Government would ensure that their families are taken care of. The whole House was pained by the loss of their lives, he said.

The suggestion for a minute’s silence came from the floor and instantly accepted by the Deputy Speaker.

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