Wall collapse incident at Simhachalam temple: Opposition parties criticise NDA government for ‘negligence and apathy’

Wall collapse incident at Simhachalam temple: Opposition parties criticise NDA government for ‘negligence and apathy’

Members of the Opposition parties slammed the NDA government alleging negligence and apathy as the reason behind the wall collapse which led to the death of seven persons, including three women, atop Simhachalam in Visakhapatnam, during the Chandanotsavam festival.

Former Minister and YSR Congress Party Anakapalli district president Gudivada Amarnath, along with Visakhapatnam district YSRCP president K.K. Raju and other leaders, met the victim family members near the KGH and expressed their grief. Later, speaking to the media, Mr Amarnath said that in general Chandanotsavam receives a turnout of around two lakh devotees every year. But despite knowing the facts, the government had failed to make basic arrangements. He alleged that the wall which was constructed a few days ago, seems to be poorly constructed.

“I met a victim who is undergoing treatment at the VIMS. He informed that during the rain and gale, the wall swung like a flexi and fell all of a sudden. There was no illumination in the queue line route. Fortunately, he survived with fractures,” Mr. Amarnath said.

Mr. Amarnath questioned what was the need for the authorities to organise the queue line along the under-construction area, which had no illumination at all. He has also demanded that the government provide an ex gratia of ₹1 crore to the kin of the deceased and also provide them a government job.

CPI(M) corporator, B Ganga Rao and CPI(M) leader R.K.S.V. Kumar also consoled the kin of the victims at the KGH. Speaking to the media, Mr. Ganga Rao alleged negligence from the authorities as the reason for the human loss. He questioned the quality of the wall which collapsed due to rain and the corruption behind it. The government should take strict action against the persons responsible for the incident, he said.

“During January, there was a stampede at Tirumala during Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam tickets issue, in which many devotees died. Now, here during Chandanotsavam, seven devotees were killed. It seems like the government has not learnt any lessons from the Tirupati stampede incident,” he said.