The Balasore train accident so far took away more than 250 lives and more than 1000 people are injured. The casualties number may increase. Railway Department has announced that people trapped in the derailed bogies are rescued.
The accident took place on Friday night but Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took his time. He conducted a so-called high-level meeting on Saturday morning and deputed three IAS officers and Minister Amar to the spot.
Incidentally, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin chaired a similar meeting less than two hours after the accident. He spoke to his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik and deputed a four-member panel to coordinate the rescue of Tamils on the train.
He sent Transport Minister S S Sivasankar and 3 IAS officials to Odisha to rescue the Tamils involved in the accident and also set up a helpline.
Jagan Mohan Reddy did the same the next day and there is an elaborate PR activity. By the time Jagan responded, the rescue operations were almost completed and the affected were shifted to the hospitals.
Jagan should take a cue from his Tamil Nadu counterpart in reacting fast in such incidents.
