BERHAMPUR: The death toll of labourers from Ganjam in the stone quarry blast in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh has gone up to six.
Ramachandra Nahak (50), who was critically injured in the blast and was admitted to King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday night. The deceased’s son Biswanath, who was attending to his father at the hospital, alleged negligence in treatment. He said even as both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh governments had assured free treatment to the victims of the blast, the doctors at the hospital in Visakhapatnam asked him to arrange medicines and injections costing more than `9,000.
Biswanath said since he had spent all the money, he approached Odisha officials for help.
“However, my father died before any help could reach us”, he alleged. Ramachandra’s body was cremated at his native BT Nuagaon village. The district administration gave `10,000 to his family from the Red Cross fund.
The residents of the village said the deceased’s family should be given compensation of `5 lakh announced by Andhra Pradesh and `2 lakh announced by Odisha Government for those killed in the tragedy. Six labourers from BT Nuagaon, Jharedi Gobindapur and Diandein villages under Rambha police limits in Ganjam district were taken to Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh to work in a stone quarry by a local labour contractor Kailash Nahak.
While three of them, Bhima Nahak (30), Duryodhan Nahak (42) and Manoranjan Nahak (22) died in the blast on August 3, three others, Rajendra Nahak (40), Pandab Lenka (40) and Ramchandra Nahak (50), who were injured critically, were admitted to Kurnool hospital. Later Rajendra died while undergoing treatment. On August 10, Ramchandra and Pandab were shifted to King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam. Pandab died on way to hospital and Ramchandra breathed his last on Saturday night.
