Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan expressed deep grief and shock over the tragic accident at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL). Immediately upon receiving the news, he rushed to Visakhapatnam and visited KIMS Hospital to console the injured workers. He personally interacted with the victims to inquire about the nature of the accident and reviewed the medical assistance being provided to them. Later, the Deputy CM inspected the accident site inside the steel plant and held a high-level review meeting with the plant management and senior administrative officials.
Assuring full support from the alliance government, Pawan Kalyan announced an ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh each to the families of the deceased workers. In addition to the financial aid, he promised a government job to one eligible family member of the deceased. For those injured, a microscopic immediate relief of ₹10 lakh has been declared, and the Deputy CM clarified that the entire expenditure for their advanced medical treatment would be fully borne by Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL).
Reflecting on the gravity of the situation, Pawan Kalyan noted that an accident of such magnitude had not occurred at the Vizag Steel Plant in the last 30 years. He mentioned that a minor technical snag had reportedly occurred the night before as well, but a major mishap was averted as no workers were present at that hour. To ensure a transparent investigation, a special three-member safety committee has been constituted to probe the lapses and review machine modernization, based on which strict action will be initiated. The Deputy CM promised to hold an exclusive meeting with the labor unions soon and instructed the management to maintain absolute vigilance to prioritize employee safety.
