PM, CM condole deaths, announce ex-gratia
Source: Chronicle News Service / PIB

Imphal/New Delhi, December 21 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the deaths of students and teachers in a tragic bus accident in Noney district.

The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakh to the next kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured in the bus accident from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) .

The Prime Minister Office tweeted, "Anguished by the loss of lives in Manipur's Noney district due to a tragic bus accident.

My thoughts are with the bereaved families.

I hope the injured recover soon.

The Manipur government is providing all possible assistance to those affected: PM @ narendramodi" .

"An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the bus accident.

The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi", the PMO tweeted.

Chief minister N Biren also declared ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for each of the victims of the Khoupum accident along with assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to those who suffered serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday evening, Biren said that works minister Govindas Konthoujam, education minister Th Basantakumar, health minister Dr Sapam Ranjan and senior officers of police department rushed to the spot and assisted in evacuating the injured victims.

They were first evacuated to Bishnupur district hospitals from where the victims with serious injuries were referred to Imphal in different hospitals.

He informed that the state government after discussion among the cabinet ministers took the decision to provide ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of deceased persons.

Financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 will be provided to the seriously injured and those with minor injury respectively, he said.

The government had also taken the decision to bear the expenses of treatment of the injured persons being admitted at different hospitals, he added.

Appreciating the swift response of villagers near the incident site to rescue the victims, the CM stated the government had been able to initiate rescue action timely as the villagers had uploaded about the incident on the social media as soon as the incident occurred.

To avoid such incidents in future, Biren cautioned the public to take utmost care while driving in hill areas, as the visibility becomes low during winter season due to foggy weather.

Biren also urged drivers of passenger vehicles to avoid rash driving while stating that that passenger vehicles could often be seen driving at high speed to get passengers.

Observing that many school vans are carrying students beyond capacity, he said that verification of school vans will be initiated to check overloading, and actions such as cancellation of driving license will be taken up against those drivers carrying students beyond capacity.

Action will also be taken up against those schools in case the van drivers do not follow the norms, he added.

Stressing on the need for providing awareness on rules on driving passenger vehicles to avoid any untoward incident, he informed that the transport department will organise a conference for all drivers to make them aware about dos and don'ts of driving.

He also took se rious notes on violation of traffic rules among the general public and said that intensive drives will be carried out to check violation of regulations like wearing helmet, seatbelt and driving license.

Concluding his briefing, the CM expressed his deepest condolences and shared grief of the bereaved families and further appealed to the public to follow traffic rules while driving to avoid road accidents.

Comment