Odisha visit: Mamata meets the injured, says ‘truth must come out’
The CM says there are 57 injured passengers from Bengal in SCB Medical College
KOLKATA: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said many people have died in the ghastly rail crash but the “truth behind the accident must come out”.
During her visit to Odisha, she visited the injured passengers of the ill-fated Coromandel Express in Cuttack who are admitted to different hospitals.
Banerjee visited the eye and surgery department of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and interacted with the patients and their family members, assuring them of all possible help.
“We are trying to help the injured passengers in all possible ways. We had dispatched teams of doctors, nurses and officers to take care of the injured passengers on the night of the accident on June 2,” she told reporters.
Banerjee said there are 57 injured passengers from West
Bengal in SCB Medical College. “Some have lost their limbs while some others have lost their eyes. It’s such a tragedy that cannot be described in words,” Banerjee remarked.
She said the Odisha and Bengal governments have been working hand-in-hand. “The Odisha and Bengal governments are working together. Around 103 bodies of people belonging to Bengal have been identified and 97 people are under treatment while 31 are
missing,” the Chief Minister said, adding: “So many people have died, the truth must come out. I want to be with the people.”
She added: “I have already announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for the critically injured. Around 900 people who were travelling in the train and are going through mental and physical stress will be given Rs 10,000,” she said.
Later in the day, Banerjee visited Midnapore Medical College and spoke to the injured patients. She said around 61 patients have been admitted to the hospital out of which 16 are from Bihar.
“We will also provide Rs 50,000 to those with fewer injuries and Rs 25,000 to those who sustained minor injuries. Those who have not received any injuries but are under trauma will get Rs 10,000 one time and Rs 2,000 for the next four months along with rice and dal,” she added.
Banerjee once again reminded that the family members of those killed or those who lost limbs
will get employment as special home guards. She also announced that a 100-bed critical care unit and a cancer treatment facility were coming up at the Midnapore Medical College.
Women and Child Development minister Shashi
Panja and Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharjee accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit. Both the ministers visited the injured passengers admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
Meanwhile, Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited Basanti in South 24-Parganas to meet the families of the passengers who died in the triple train accident on June 2 and assured financial assistance.