Sixteen labourers mowed down by a goods train in Aurangabad on Friday has put to question mark on the conduct of some of the senior officers in Madhya Pradesh.
The labourers belonged to Umaria, Katni and Shahdol districts of the state.
Principal secretary Deepali Rastogi was in charge of bringing back the labourers from Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
Rastogi’s way of working is so strange that she does not take calls. Whenever someone calls her up, she only gives the links of e-pass and helpline number.
It indicates that she does not want to get any information about the problems the caller concerned faces.
Congress leader KK Mishra said the incident indicated how irresponsible Rastogi was in dealing with shifting of labourers.
Most of the officers, who have been asked to bring the labourers back, do not take calls, Mishra said.
Social worker Ajay Dubey demanded that there should be an inquiry on the basis of call details.
Those labourers may have called up seeking help, but Rastogi did not pay any attention to them, Dubey said.
If it has happened, she should be suspended and action taken against her, he said.
CM announces Rs 5L ex gratia
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the family member of each of the deceased labourer.
Chouhan spoke to rail minister Piyush Goyal and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thakre about the incident. He is so sad that he cannot express his feelings in words, Chouhan said.
He appealed to the labourers to keep patience and that the process to bring them back from other states is on.
Chouhan urged them not to walk and to keep faith in him, because he would not disappoint them.
Minister, ACS leave by state plane
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sent tribal welfare minister Meena Singh, additional chief secretary ICP Keshari and ADG Rajeev Chawla to Aurangabad with special permission. They will oversee the arrangements for bringing back the bodies of the labourers and those injured in the accident.
