Jagan Meets Accident Victims: Jagan Demands Higher Compensation for Visakhapatnam Steel Plant Victims
After meeting injured workers and grieving families, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy urged the government to provide enhanced compensation, employment support, and stronger relief measures for affected households.
Jagan Meets Accident Victims: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has called for enhanced compensation for the families of workers who lost their lives in the recent accident at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. He urged the government to provide substantial financial assistance and employment opportunities to support families affected by the tragedy.
The demand came after Jagan visited injured workers receiving treatment at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam. During the visit, he also interacted with family members of the victims and representatives of labour unions to understand their concerns and the challenges they are facing in the aftermath of the incident.
The accident occurred on June 8 at the Steel Melting Shop 1 unit of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, where a ladle carrying molten steel reportedly exploded. The incident claimed the lives of nine workers and left several others seriously injured, triggering widespread concern over industrial safety and worker protection.
Jagan argued that the compensation package announced so far does not adequately address the losses suffered by the victims’ families. He maintained that statutory benefits such as insurance, provident fund, and gratuity should not be counted as part of government assistance because those payments are legally due to employees regardless of any relief package.
According to the former chief minister, the families of the deceased workers should receive an additional ex gratia payment of Rs 1 crore each, along with a government job for one eligible member of every affected family. He said such support would provide long term financial security and stability to those who lost their primary breadwinners.
Recalling the response to the LG Polymers gas leak incident in 2020, Jagan noted that his government had extended significant financial assistance and employment support to the victims’ families. He said a similar approach should be adopted in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant tragedy to ensure justice and meaningful rehabilitation.
The YSRCP leader also reiterated his opposition to the proposed privatisation of the steel plant and called for a resolution in the state assembly on the issue. He stated that his party would stand by the affected workers and their families while continuing to press for stronger relief measures and accountability.
