Swarna Palace fire mishap: Rs 50L ex-gratia given to kin of deceased

Vijayawada: Health minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas (Alla Nani), along with his Cabinet colleagues Vellampalli Sinivas and Kodali Nani, on Tuesday distributed Rs 50 lakh each to the kin of deceased in the fire mishap at Swarna Palace Hotel, Ramesh Hospital's Covid Care Centre, in Vijayawada.

Ex-gratia was paid to family members of six of the deceased. Over 10 people died after a fire that broke out in the hotel-turned-Covid Care Centre in the city on August 9.

Alla Nani said that the AP government has been taking steps to arrest all the accused in connection with the fire mishap at the Swarna Palace Hotel. “We have cancelled the recognition of Ramesh Hospitals as the District Covid Hospital and prohibited it from admitting Covid-19 patients.”

The minister also said that the Committee, constituted to probe into the mishap, found violation of rules by Ramesh Hospital and the management of Swarna Palace, leading to the tragedy.

Nani warned serious action against private hospitals fleecing Covid patients in the name of treatment.

The Committee appointed by the state government to probe into the fire mishap has confirmed that Ramesh Hospital had collected exorbitant fee from Covid-19 patients, he said.