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Airport mishap: Minister to make a statement

Rajya Sabha Chairman Krishan Kant today directed Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav to make a statement on yesterday's tragic incident at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi in which an eight-year-old girl was crushed to death after she got sucked into the pit of an escalator.

The chairman observed that the House was agitated and concerned over the incident and asked the minister to make a statement either today or tomorrow in this regard.

He gave this ruling when members, cutting across party lines, demanded full details from the minister. Yadav said an inquiry had already been ordered, which would be conducted by two high-ranking officials of the National Airport Authority.

They will ascertain what went wrong with the escalator and will submit their report within 48 hours. Several members, including Veena Verma and Jayanti Natarajan sought the minister's views on this issue.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader M Venkaiah Naidu said such incidents could cause great damage to India's image abroad and urged the minister to be present when the special mention on this issue would come up in the House. Dr Manmohan Singh (Congress) demanded a structured debate on air and railway safety.

UNI

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