Deora offers help of oil companies for Mumbai blast victims

New Delhi, Jul 20 (UNI) Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora has offered support of the Mumbai-based oil marketing companies (OMCs) to ''actively coordinate'' with Railway authorities and the state government for ensuring expeditious relief and rehabilitation of the Mumbai blast victims.

In a letter to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Mr Deora said the Maharashtra Red Cross Society would also join the initiative to coordinate relief and rehabilitation work and help in expeditious processing of the claims of the unfortunate families and survivors.

Mr Deora said the Mumbai-based OCMs were actively willing to coordinate with the Western Region railway authorities as part of the Social Corporate Responsibility initiative.

The Peroleum Minister emphasised the need to focus on long-term issues facing the victims who have suffered total incapacitation and other injuries, which have impaired their capacity to earn livelihoods.

''I am sure that the extent of incapacitation would be a valid consideration in working out the scale of the ex-gratia relief package which the Railway Ministry is implementing and would also be material in deciding the extent of claim/compensation under other statutory enactments.'' Lauding the Railway Ministry and Mr Lalu Prasad for acting ''in a professional and sensitive manner'' to the July 11 terror attacks on the Maumbai suburban railways, he wrote in his letter that ''as a member of Parliament from the city of Mumbai, I am happy to communicate to you the satisfactory progess being made in the relief and rehabilitation work of this terrorist attack. The Railway Ministry has announced a fair ex-gratia relief package to the next of kin of those who have been killed and to the injured.'' UNI/SKS RL PM1522