Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday, October 7, announced a sum of Rs 5 lakh as ex gratia for the families of the people who lost their lives in the aftermath of Indian Air Force’s (IAF) air show. The CM also reiterated that the state government provided facilities and made arrangements for the IAF’s air show beyond what was requested by them.
Five people were confirmed dead after the air show and more than 200 were admitted to hospitals after they fainted or became weak from exhaustion and dehydration. More than 13 lakh people had flocked to the venue by train, metro, cars, and buses to watch the show, which aimed to enter the Limca Book of Records for attracting the largest gathering for an air show.
“I am deeply saddened and distressed to learn that five precious lives were lost during this event due to the intense heat and various medical reasons. This is an irreplaceable loss for the families of the deceased. I extend my heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the family members and relatives during this difficult time. I have also ordered a compensation of five lakh rupees each to the families of the deceased from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund,” a press statement from the CM’s office read.
It also added, “The Tamil Nadu government's police department, fire department, Greater Chennai Corporation, and the Department of Health and Family Welfare worked together to ensure that the people of Chennai could enjoy a well-organized event. As a result, overcrowding was avoided. However, I learned that many people faced significant difficulties in reaching their vehicles and accessing public transport after the event, due to the turnout being far greater than expected. Additional attention and arrangements will be made when organizing such large events in the future.”
Earlier in the day, the state Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that the state government extended full administrative cooperation to ensure the smooth conduct of the air show. He said that a series of coordination meetings were organized, chaired by the Chief Secretary, involving IAF officials and key department heads from the state government. “In these consultative meetings arrangements were made keeping in mind all the demands of the Air Force officers,” he said. He also added that the Tamil Nadu government provided facilities and made arrangements beyond what was requested by them, for the Indian Air Force program.