Govt to pay Rs 25 lakh to next of kin of pipeline fire victims

The government today announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the gas pipeline fire at a village in Andhra Pradesh.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who visited the accident site at Tatipaka this afternoon along with state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, also announced a Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia compensation for those permanently disabled and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.
As many as 15 people were killed and 18 injured when a fire broke out following a blast in a GAIL pipeline carrying gas to Lanco's Kondapalli power plant near Vijayawada. The fire has been brought under control.

Of the total compensation of Rs 25 lakh, Rs 2 lakh will be contributed by the Prime Minister's Relief Fund while Rs 3 lakh will be provided by the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
The remainder will be provided by GAIL, an official statement said here.
"For those permanently disabled, Rs 5 lakh will be deposited as fixed deposit in their name by GAIL. The permanent disability will be certified by the district administration," it said.

All other injured persons will be given an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund and an equal amount will be provided by GAIL.

"Best possible medical care will be provided to those injured. All expenses in this regard will be borne by GAIL," it said, adding that damage to property and crops will be compensated at market value by the state-owned firm.
All thatched houses in the affected village will be converted into pucca houses through CSR funds of GAIL and Oil and Natural Gas Corp, which supplied the gas.