KCR rushes Home Minister to Himachal

Chief Secretary asked to co-ordinate with his counterpart

Hyderabad: Senior TRS leader Naini Narasimha Reddy talks to media after he assumed charge as Home Minister of Telangana State at the Secretariat in Hyderabad on Thursday. PTI Photo (PTI6_5_2014_000087B)

The Telangana Government is rushing a three-member team headed by Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy to Kullu to take stock of the situation and expedite the process of fishing out bodies from the river Beas.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who was chairing a Cabinet meeting when news broke about 24 students from the city being washed away in the Beas, immediately asked his cabinet colleague to leave for Himachal.

The other two members of the team are Revenue Secretary B.R. Meena and Greyhounds Assault Commander Kartikeyan.

Mr. Rao directed Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma to be in touch with his counterpart in Himachal Pradesh to expedite rescue operations and obtain up-to-date information.

The AP Bhavan Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, Sashank Goel, was asked to coordinate with the Himachal Pradesh government, IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao told The Hindu .

Meanwhile, Mr. Sharma said the stranded students have been shifted to a Mata Mandir nearby.

“They have been presently provided accommodation at the temple,” he said.

Reactions pour in

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, YSR Congress presid-ent N. Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah have expressed shock over the washing away of 24 students from the city in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday evening.

Mr. Naidu, who was sworn in Chief Minister at Guntur, expressed deep shock and anguish over the sad incident involving 24 students and requested the Himachal Pradesh government to expedite relief and rescue operations.

He termed irresponsible the release of water into Beas river from Largi dam without an alert to people along the banks an act of the dam authorities.

He assured the parents that the government would take all necessary steps to take up rescue and relief operations to trace the missing (washed away) students at the earliest. Mr. Naidu had spoken to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was at his swearing-in ceremony, to extend all help from the Centre to the stranded students.

Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy requested the governments of AP and Telangana to take up rescue and relief operations immediately.

He also directed party MPs in Delhi to rush to Himachal Pradesh to coordinate with the government teams in rescue and relief operations. Meanwhile, Mr. Ponnala also demanded that the government take up relief operations immediately.