Tel Aviv/Amritsar, October 22: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday reviewed the Amritsar situation from Tel Aviv, Israel, through a video conference, and directed the officials to ensure quick and effective disbursement of relief and compensation to the victims and their families, besides all steps to maintain law and order in the area.
During the Skype video conference, the Chief Minister was briefed on the current situation in Amritsar, in the wake of Friday’s train tragedy, by his Chief Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar, along with Deputy Commissioner Amritsar Kanwaldeep Sangha and Commission of Police Amritsar Sudhanshu Shrivastava.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that the situation was under control and all the victims, barring one, had been identified. Of the 58 dead, 52 had been cremated and the remaining would be cremated during the day today, said Suresh Kumar, adding that the 58 injured were being given the best possible treatment in the hospitals. A total of 116 families had been affected by the tragedy, said the CPSCM.
The Chief Minister asked the officials to expedite the process of disbursement of the compensation already announced by him for those killed in the tragedy.
Suresh Kumar further informed Captain Amarinder that, as per his advice, emergency assistance groups had been set up with NGOs and officers from the departments of revenue and social welfare. These groups were visiting the affected families and providing any emergency help as needed, such as ration, blankets, clothes etc, said the CPSCM.
The Chief Minister asked the officials to complete the socio-economic profiling of the victims at the earliest so that their rehabilitation could be taken up on priority. The DC and the SP said the task was being undertaken on a systematic basis since yesterday itself to identify cases for jobs, pensions, educational support, etc, as required. The situation was peaceful and the train services on the route had been normalised, they added.
Captain Amarinder made it clear to the officials that all possible government support should be provided to the affected families and there should be no delay in ensuring that essentials are supplied to them on priority.
Meanwhile, the Crisis Management Group of Minister, headed by Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, was scheduled to meet at 3 p.m, while the Punjab Congress led by its president Sunil Jakhar was set to take out a candle march in the area at 5 p.m., the Chief Minister was further informed.
