Gas mishap: Jagan demands more compensation

YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has demanded Rs one crore ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased in the pipeline blast and said that YSRCP MPs would submit a memorandum to the concerned ministry seeking adequate compensation to the injured and the farmers whose fields were set ablaze in the fire mishap.

Speaking to reporters after consoling the kin of those who lost their lives in the mishap, he said: This is not the first time that such incidents are taking place in this part of the state. It is sheer negligence on part of the oil companies which has led to this tragedy.

“While the oil companies are reaping all the profits, any disaster is being faced by the locals and there is no compensation to the seismic disruption and environmental hazards. The Centre and State Governments should mount pressure on GAIL, ONGC and the concerned ministry to pay Rs 1 crore compensation for the family which lost a member in the mishap and adequately compensate the injured by providing employment in the government sector. 

The environment should also be taken care of and for those farmers whose fields are razed; they should be adequately compensated as they lost their livelihood.  The royalty paid to the state for off shore drilling is paltry while the damage done to the region is huge. We demand that the Centre and the State work out a policy where in our share of gas is in the KG basin is defined and given to us. We will distribute our share of gas in our region and set aside a fund to meet such calamities, he said.

The negligence of the oil companies is very blatant as there were frequent complaints for the past one year about the leakages and even a small spark can ignite a major blast, which was the case now. The complaints were attended to half heartedly and tentative repairs were done as the management was not serious about the local issues, he said.

The oil companies are earning thousands of crores of rupees from the gas and oil drilled but the local are bearing the brunt in terms of seismic and environmental imbalances.

As the Centre and erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh State had an equal share in Singareni Collieries which is now transferred to Telangana state, our state should have its share in the gas production in KG basin, he said.