PUNJAB CM expresses shock over tragic bus accident

Announces ex gratia grant of Rs 1 lakh each for next of kin of deceased

The tragic accident near floating restaurant Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district, where the Amritsar bound bus of state own PUNBUS from Delhi plunged into Bhakhra main canal in the wee hours on Wednesday, in which all the passengers are feared to have been drowned.

Chandigarh, July 31, 2013: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today expressed deep shock and anguish over the tragic accident near floating restaurant Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district, where the Amritsar bound bus of state own PUNBUS from Delhi plunged into Bhakhra main canal in the wee hours on Wednesday, in which all the passengers were feared to have been drowned.

Expressing profound grief and sorrow over this disastrous accident, Badal shared his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved families and prayed to the Almighty to give them courage to bear this irreparable loss in the hour of crisis and grant peace to the departed souls. Meanwhile the Chief Minister also announced an Ex Gratia grant Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and free medical treatment to the injured, if any. The Chief Minister has directed the civil and police administration of Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts to keep a close tab on the situation to fish out the bodies from the canal on the priority and hand over to their next of kin.

On the direction of Punjab Chief Minister, the Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar alongwith Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon visited the site of accident and supervised the ongoing rescue operations.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Revenue and Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia also expressed profound grief and sorrow over this tragic accident and shared their condolences with the bereaved families.