Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the next of kin of each person who died in the minibus-truck collision in Kaziranga a day ago will receive Rs 9 lakh as ex gratia. The compensation amount includes Rs 2 lakh ex gratia announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sarma said, after visiting the accident site on NH-715 at Rangajan in Kaziranga.
Twenty-six people died in the head-on collision between the two vehicles near Kaziranga National Park on Friday. Many of the victims were college students who were returning from their classes when the accident occurred. “An ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family of each deceased from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Rs 2 lakh from the State Disaster Management Authority and Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister,” Sarma told reporters.
He said Ministers would hand over the amount to the deceased’s family members at their homes after the bodies arrive at their respective residences, following post-mortem examinations. “No amount of money can compensate such a loss, especially for families who have lost more than one member,” Sarma said, adding that what happened in Kaziranga was “heartbreaking’’.
Sarma said he would personally visit the home of every bereaved family in the next two to three days. Steps have been taken to complete the post-mortem examinations on Saturday, he said.
Chief Minister said the Government is ensuring that the injured persons get special medical care at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital and other health facilities where they are undergoing treatment. “Additional doctors from Guwahati and other hospitals have been sent so that post-mortem examinations are completed quickly, and the injured get the best possible care,” CM said. A detailed investigation into the accident is underway, he said, adding, “We will look at every possible cause behind this tragedy”.
‘’I admit that some traffic restrictions were relaxed at the Nalbari Cabinet meeting because of political pressure. Even then, I felt we should not have allowed such relaxations,” he said.
The CM said strict traffic rules will be enforced because people’s lives come first. He directed the police and the district administration to intensify road safety awareness and enforcement to prevent such tragedies in future.