Chiranjeevi visits Nagaram village to meet GAIL blast victims

RAJAHMUNDRY (ANDHRA PRADESH): Actor-turned-Congress politician and former union minister K Chiranjeevi today visited Nagaram village in East Godavari district where a gas pipeline had exploded, killing 19 people and injuring 18 others.

Accompanied by former Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Botsa Satyanarayana and former endowments minister N Ramachandraiah, Chiranjeevi visited the Nagaram village where the gas pipeline exploded.

Interacting with the people and consoling deceased family members, they enquired about the impact of the blast and damaged houses.

Later, they visited different hospitals in Amalapuram, Kakinada and Rajahmundry where 18 people are undergoing treatment and enquired about victims' health.

Speaking to reporters, Chiranjeevi demanded that the Andhra Pradesh state government pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation to those injured, since they are not in a position to attend their work, and bear their expenses until they recover.

"As most of them received severe burn injuries, it is not possible to attend work now. So the state government must pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation to those injured, which is Rs 50,000 more than what has been sanctioned by GAIL. The state government should take responsibility to provide best medical facilities to them for their speedy recovery," he said.

He alleged that GAIL's negligence caused the explosion and GAIL had not taken any security measures.

He also said that he would raise the issue during the coming Parliament session.