Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh to the families of those deceased, and ₹1 lakh to those injured, from Tamil Nadu in the train accident involving three trains near Balasore in Odisha, in which the death toll has now crossed 230.
Addressing the media after inspecting the help desks set up by Southern Railway at the Chennai Central railway station and by the State Disaster Management Authority at Ezhilagam, he said the State government will observe one day of State mourning on Saturday, for those who died in the accident.
To a question on the details of people from Tamil Nadu affected in the accident, he said full details were awaited. The Chief Secretary of Odisha, with whom Mr. Stalin and senior officials from Tamil Nadu had a discussion over video conference, had said that it may take at least another four to five hours for these details to be available.
Recalling his conversation last night with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the CM said he had offered all necessary help to both Mr. Patnaik and Odisha’s Chief Secretary.
Mr. Stalin said the Tamil Nadu government was coordinating with Southern Railway and the Odisha government to ensure medical treatment for those injured, to bring the mortal remains of those deceased back home, and to facilitate the return of those who were not injured but unable to return to Chennai. He said he had enquired with the Southern Railway officials about the special train being arranged to bring these people back.
T.N. Ministers, IAS officers at accident site
The CM also said that Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin, Minister for Transport S.S. Sivasankar, Transport Secretary K. Phanindra Reddy and Revenue and Disaster Management Secretary Kumar Jayant, and IAS officer Archana Patnaik have gone to the accident site, and the Tamil Nadu government will plan its efforts based on the information received from them.
Additional Director-General of Police Sandeep Mittal has also been sent to Odisha to coordinate efforts with the police department there. Moreover, Mr. Stalin said more IAS officers, IPS officers and revenue officers were being sent to be stationed near the accident site over the next four to five days to help in providing relief to people from Tamil Nadu affected in the accident.
Mr. Stalin said the Tamil Nadu government has deputed officials at the help desk set up at the Chennai Central railway station for better coordination. Apart from the helplines announced by the Southern Railway, he said relatives of those affected can also use the State government’s helplines: 9445869843 (mobile), 1070 (landline) and 9445869848 (WhatsApp).
