*VSP tragedy exposes failure of safety measures: Perni*

Machilipatnam, June 9: Former Minister and YSRCP Krishna District President Perni Venkatramaiah (Perni Nani) said the Visakha Steel Plant tragedy, which claimed eight lives and left several workers injured, was the result of severe manpower shortages and administrative negligence. He stated that workers themselves revealed that a job meant for 22 personnel was being carried out by just 11, while experienced employees had been forced out under VRS over the past two years and replaced with low-paid, inexperienced workers, compromising safety standards.
Perni Nani said the tragedy reflected the management’s irresponsible approach and criticized the government’s response, stating that ministers displayed arrogance instead of compassion while interacting with grieving workers and families. He termed Minister Nara Lokesh’s remarks to workers as insensitive and urged Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to instill greater responsibility and restraint in his leadership. He also pointed out that the state government had announced no fresh compensation, noting that the Rs. 25 lakh ex gratia was already an existing Steel Plant policy and that the promised jobs were only temporary in nature.
He rejected claims that the previous Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government supported privatization, recalling that the Assembly passed a resolution against privatization in 2020 and that YSRCP has consistently opposed the move. He questioned whether Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan had ever urged the Centre to halt privatization during the last two years, noting that the Union Government has not officially withdrawn its privatization decision. Perni Nani demanded captive mines for the Steel Plant, permanent employment for the families of the deceased, and special financial assistance from the state government, urging the ruling dispensation to rise above politics and stand by the affected families.