Tejashwi Yadav Demands Compensation and Jobs for Victims of Boat Tragedy in Bihar

Vaishali, October 15 (Daily Kiran) : In a heartfelt response to the tragic boat accident in Vaishali, Bihar, which claimed the lives of 13 children, Tejashwi Yadav, the national executive president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, has urged Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary to provide compensation, land, and government jobs to the affected families. In a letter dated October 15, Yadav criticized the government’s negligence and administrative failures, demanding a high-level impartial investigation into the incident.

The accident occurred on the night of October 13 in the Bhagtan Tola of Rampur Shyamchand Panchayat. Yadav pointed out that in regions like Raghopur, residents are forced to rely on boats due to a lack of basic road, connectivity, and health facilities. He alleged that plans for constructing a ring road, embankments, and connecting panchayats to main roads had been shelved after initial assessments.

Yadav also raised concerns regarding delays in relief and rescue operations following the accident. He claimed that ambulances arrived late at the scene and lacked essential life-saving equipment, such as oxygen. Questioning the effectiveness of the Vaishali district administration and disaster management teams, he stated that timely action could have saved lives.

Referencing a similar incident during the 2017 kite festival in Patna, Yadav noted that guidelines and standard operating procedures for boat operations were issued afterward. These included prohibiting boat operations after sunset, controlling overloading, and mandating life jackets. He accused authorities of failing to enforce these regulations effectively.

In his letter, Yadav demanded that each victim’s family receive three decimal of land and that at least one eligible member be granted a permanent government job. He also requested additional special compensation beyond the standard relief amount, along with a thorough investigation into the incident, the delays in rescue efforts, and the hospital’s disarray.

Furthermore, Yadav called for the identification and suspension of negligent officials, ensuring the deployment of medical staff at the Mohanpur referral hospital within 48 hours, and providing modern equipment and life-saving medications. He also proposed establishing oxygen-equipped ambulances, ambulance boats, and a permanent base for the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) or National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Raghopur. Lastly, he urged the immediate approval and commencement of road construction projects to ensure safe and regulated boat operations.