Congress to give Rs 2 lakh to police firing victim

Hyderabad, Mar 29 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K Rosaiah today said apart from the Rs three lakh ex gratia sanctioned by the government, the Congress would give Rs two lakh to the family of the fisherman who died in police firing at Gangavaram in Visakhapatnam district during an agitation by fishermen recently.

Briefing reporters after an all-party meeting attended by the Collector and the district SP, Mr Rosiah said the CLP would give Rs one lakh and the District Congress Rs one lakh, to meet the opposition demand of payment of Rs five lakh ex gratia. The children of the victim would be given free education. Provision of a job to the widow would also be considered.

The government had agreed to bear the total medical expenditure for both the agitators and policemen injured in the agitation.

The police firing on the fishermen, who were agitating for a relief and rehabilitation package before being displaced in view of the construction of a new port at the village, rocked the Assembly.

Declining the demand for a judicial inquiry, Mr Rosaiah said Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had already announced in the House that a senior IAS officer would probe the firing and the government would take action if any one was found to have acted in excess.

On the opposition demand for withdrawal of cases against agitators, Home Minister K Jana Reddy, who was present, said no cases were registered. He assured opposition leaders that a high-level meeting would be held to ascertain if any cases were registered.

On the opposition complaint that enumeration of fishermen for the relief package was not proper, Mr Rosaiah said the government would undertake fresh enumeration in a scientific manner. The government also agreed to consider the suggestion to provide alternative jetty at Nallamaremma Padalu village instead of the proposed spot at Erada, which was 10 km from Gangavaram. On the relief package, he said though the government had explained it to the opposition, it could not be disclosed to the media as the election code was in force due to the by-election for the Visakhapatnam-I constituency.

Mr Rosaiah said the government had also agreed to the opposition suggestion of holding talks with the United Forum and leaders of all parties spearheading the agitation by fishermen. While rejecting the opposition demand to halt the port work, he said the fishermen could operate from the same spot as now. Port work would continue without disturbing their profession.

Ministers Rosaiah, Jakkampudi Rama Mohana Rao, Jana Reddy and Konatala Rama Krishna participated in the press briefing and meeting, which was attended by leaders of all parties including the Congress.

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