VIJAYAWADA: TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday demanded that the State government announce Rs  1 crore ex gratia for the victim of fire in Visakha Solvents and arrest those responsible for the industrial mishap in Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City at Parawada. The Leader of the Opposition asserted that the victim’s family should be paid ex gratia on par with those of LG Polymers gas leak.

The government should also ensure provision of the best treatment to the worker, who was injured in the fire. It may be mentioned here that Rs  50 lakh compensation was announced to the kin of a junior operator, who was killed in the mishap, and Rs  20 lakh to the injured worker. Expressing concern over a series of industrial mishaps in the Pharma City, Naidu said the government should take immediate action against its developer Ramky group for its ‘failure’ to ensure safety. Concrete steps should also be taken to ensure running of units in the Pharma City by strictly adhering to industrial safety. The TDP chief also alleged that the district authorities failed to take timely rescue and relief measures after the industrial mishap.

It is a matter for concern that three major industrial mishaps occurred in Vizag within 68 days and two mishaps took place in the Pharma City within a fortnight. The YSRC government is yet to wake up from slumber. “Irresponsibility on the part of CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and the negligent attitude of the government towards safety are the reasons for the series of mishaps,” he alleged.