Naidu announces ex gratia of ₹20 lakh to each of the blast victims, suspends four officials

Chief Minister Naidu announces ₹20 lakh ex gratia for firecracker blast victims, suspends officials, and plans safety reforms.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday announced ₹20 lakh as ex gratia to the families of the 20 workers who died in a blast at Sri Surya Firecrackers unit at Vetlapalem of Samarlakota Mandal in Kakinada district.

This was in addition to the ₹2 lakh ex gratia announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the PM Relief Fund.

Speaking to newsmen after enquiring about the treatment to the 11 survivors in the Government General Hospital here, Mr. Naidu said, “A detailed probe will begin on Sunday.”

“The ex gratia to those who survived the blast will be decided soon. The State government will guarantee better education and housing facilities to the next of kin of the deceased, who are mostly Dalits and poor,” he said. Mr. Naidu assured to provide free medical treatment to all the survivors.

On action against the owner of the firecracker unit, Mr. Naidu said that preliminary evidence showed that the owner failed to take precautionary measures for the safety of workers despite storing huge quantity of explosives.

“The government will seize the properties of the unit owner and distribute them among the victims of the blast. A decision will also be taken on directing the firecracker units to install CC cameras, which will be connected to the central command centre (of the district) to avoid such incidents,” he said.