The Hindu : Karnataka / Hassan News : Compensation sought for Sakleshpur hooch victims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Hassan

Compensation sought for Sakleshpur hooch victims

Staff Correspondent

HASSAN: The Karnataka State Anti-liquor Movement Committee here on Tuesday urged the State Government to release Rs. 1 lakh as compensation to the next of the kin of each of those who died in the recent hooch tragedy which claimed 13 lives in the district.

A team led by the president of the committee, A.T. Babu, visited Bage, Belagodu, Golagande, Mugali and Sreeramanagara villages in Sakleshpur taluk and consoled the bereaved families. Speaking to presspersons later, he criticised the "apathy" of the State Government in releasing compensation.

"Even after 10 days after the incident, the Government has not released the compensation. This shows the insensitivity of the Government to the issue," he said.

B.T. Lalitha Nayak, former Minister and member of the committee, exhorted the Government to book criminal cases against those responsible for the tragedy.

"The punishment must dissuade others from indulging in bootlegging," she said.

The committee will try to persuade plantation labourers in the district to abstain from alcohol by roping in Gandhians and Stree Shakti self-help group members, she said and added that it will launch a movement to educate people about the ills of alcoholism. She said the district unit of the committee will start functioning in the area to support the anti-liquor movement.

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