Venkateswara Hatcheries mishap: Rs 25 lakh ex gratia announced for kin

TIRUPATI: Chittoor district collector P.S. Pradyumna has announced Rs 25 lakh as ex gratia for the families of the seven men who died on Friday while cleaning a tank belonging to Venkateswara Hatcheries. The state government’s share is Rs 10 lakh and Venkateshwara Hatcheries’ share is Rs 15 lakh. Pradyumna, who was present at the site, told mediapersons that an inquiry would be carried out and action will be taken “as per the legal procedure”.

He also said the administration will help pay for the education of the children of the victims and provide pensions to their families.

All the deceased come from poor families in Chittoor district except for one worker from Karnataka. They are mostly the sole breadwinners of their families. The village of Morram, where the hatchery is situated and where several of the workers lived, is in a state of shock as families grieve at this unexpected and unnecessary tragedy that could so easily have been avoided if safety precautions had been taken.