Bengal minister visits family of labourer electrocuted to death in Ghaziabad, announces Rs 2 lakh relief

West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim on Saturday visited the Samserganj residence of one of the three labourers who died due to electrocution at an under-construction site at Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

He announced an ex gratia of Rs two lakh to the families of each of the deceased.

The three labourers, all of whom hailed from West Bengal's Murshidabad district, were electrocuted at the construction site of a housing scheme at Ghaziabad on Friday.

''We cannot give their lives back, but will try to do whatever we can to provide solace to the families,'' the state Urban Development minister said.

Hakim also said he was directed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to visit the residences of the deceased.

He said that apart from the government's monetary assistance to the next of kin of each deceased, the ruling Trinamool Congress will also give Rs two lakh to each family.

Criticising the Trinamool Congress government for the ''lack of job opportunities'' in the state, Congress Behrampore MP Adhir Chowdhury claimed that the state ''has become a hub of migrant labourers''.

''Whole West Bengal, especially Malda and Murshidabad districts, has become a hub of migratory workers,'' he told reporters.