Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakhs to the families of each of those killed in the Beas River tragedy in Himachal Pradesh.
Moving a resolution condoling the death of 24 students in the tragedy, KCR informed that he had been in a cabinet meeting on June 8 when he was informed about the disappearance of 24 students - 18 boys and 6 girls - in the Beas River.
"I immediately directed the Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy to rush to the spot in Himachal Pradesh along with the Disaster Management Commissioner B R Meena and Grey Hounds SP Karthikeyan," he said, adding that he had also immediately spoken to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Veerabhadra Singh, requesting him to take urgent relief measures.
Listing out various measures that were taken to handle the situation, he informed the House that so far only 8 bodies had been recovered and identified. He said that efforts were still underway to search for the remaining bodies in the Beas river.
"The administration is closely monitoring the situation, in coordination with the Himachal Pradesh government, and our Home Minister is camping there along with senior officers and support staff," he said.
The Assembly also observed a 2-minute silence to mourn the deaths of the students. (INN)