Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Compensate boat tragedy victims: Naidu

— Photo: C. V. Subrahmanyam

Reaching out: TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu having a word with the kin of one of the Tandava boat tragedy victims at A.L. Puram village in K.D. Peta mandal on Thursday.

K.D. PETA (Visakha District): Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu demanded payment of an ex gratia of Rs.5 lakhs to the kin of each of the victims who died in the boat tragedy in the Tandava Reservoir in the district.

The TDP supreme who was scheduled to arrive at A.L. Puram of the mandal at 10 a.m. on Thursday from East Godavari district and distribute cheques to the family members of the victims was behind schedule by over three hours.

Mr. Naidu gave away cheques for Rs.15,000 to the kin of each of the 12 persons who were killed in the tragedy. “This isn’t much but our idea is to spur the State Government into action,” he said.

The TDP president utilised the occasion to take a dig at the State Government for not being prompt in extending relief measures to the victims. He said that the Government was planning to hike the prices of diesel and petrol and was also toying with the idea of hiking kerosene prices.

Describing kerosene as “poor man’s fuel”, he recalled that the Telugu Desam Government had never hiked kerosene price during its nine-year rule.

Buoyed by the enthusiastic support of the crowd, Mr. Naidu continued his tirade against the Rosaiah Government for “its failure to control prices of essential commodities, reduction in the quota of sugar being issued through fair price shops and erratic power supply in rural areas”.

He attributed the rise in illicit brewing of liquor to the hike in liquor price.

Referring to K.D. Peta, Mr Naidu said: “The very mention of the name brings back memories of revolutionary freedom fighter Alluri Seetharama Raju, who had fought the British from the forests of the agency.

We (Telugu Desam) had established a park in his memory in the past and now it needs further development by the State Government.”

The plea made by TDP for erection of the statues of Alluri Seetharama Raju and NTR in Parliament in the past was not conceded by Congress Government.

He said that the TDP would now take up the erection of the statues on its own.

TDP District Convener Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu spoke.

MLC Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, party leaders Pappala Chalapathi Rao, Bharanikana Rama Rao, Kona Tata Rao and Nookarapu Suryaprakasa Rao were among those who attended. Later, the Telugu Desam Party president visited the homes of the victims and consoled the family members.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

OIC launches web portal
Cancer awareness rally taken out
Delicate surgery performed
A helping hand
Onsite emergency drill at Visakh Refinery
Magisterial enquiry
Dies in accident
Hospital conducts awareness programme
There is enough water for daily supply: BJP
Free check-up held in city on World Cancer Day
Bheemli MLA, 20 others held
Compensate boat tragedy victims: Naidu
All set for Rail Mela
Seminar on creativity
Visakhapatnam Today

Copyright © 2010, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu