No check on LPG smuggling, black marketing: Opposition leaders

After an explosion that took place at Mandiala village when a Hindustan Petroleum LPG tanker collided with a vegetable-laden pickup truck, triggering a blast on Friday night, politicians from various parties visited the site on Saturday and enquired about the condition of the injured admitted to hospital here.

While the ruling party leaders assured all kind of help from the government, the CM announced free treatment to all and Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the kin of the deceased. The Opposition leaders called the compensation amount as too low. They also alleged that the incident had exposed rampant LPG smuggling and black marketing. Mandiala village residents alleged that the driver of the tanker was off-route for stealing the LPG when the incident occurred.

On Saturday, Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot Singh, MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal and Hoshiarpur MLA Bram Shankar Jimpa visited hospital and enquired about the condition of the injured and also met their family members. MP Dr Chabbewal said proper compensation would be ensured for the families whose houses and shops were damaged in the accident. Jimpa said the process for providing relief and rehabilitation to accident victims would be initiated soon.

All India Congress Committee secretary and MLA Pargat Singh also reached the spot and shared grief over the incident. He said such a big accident happened due to gas theft. After visiting the spot, he demanded that the Punjab Government should register a murder case against all those responsible for the accident, including gas distribution agencies and gas black marketers. He also demanded action against officials concerned and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh each to the injured as well as their free treatment.

Adampur MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, Harneet Singh Lali and other local Congress leaders also accompanied Pargat Singh.

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who arrived here on Saturday evening, said the government should conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and punish those involved as per the law. He said families of the deceased should be given Rs 1 crore each and the government should build houses damaged in the accident. He said the Deputy Commissioner should prepare a complete report of the accident and send it to the government so that victims could get proper help.

On the occasion, Warring provided financial assistance of Rs 1.1 lakh to victims on behalf of the Congress, which was handed over to former minister Sundar Sham Arora and former MLA Pawan Kumar Adia. MP Sukhjinder Randhawa and former MLA Kulbir Zira also met victims. Adampur MLA Sukhwinder Kotli alleged rampant pilferage of gas from tankers.

Senior Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray leader Shinde Ranjeet Rana demanded that families of the deceased be given Rs 1 crore under ex- gratia grant and the injured be given free treatment and Rs 25 lakh as compensation for the losses caused by the fire.

BJP leader Tikshan Sood also visited the spot and demanded that apart from rebuilding houses and shops of all affected people, the government should give Rs 20 lakh each to dependents of the deceased and Rs 10 lakh each to the injured, in addition to free treatment.

Former BJP MP Avinash Rai Khanna visited hospital to enquire about condition accident victims.