The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Accident victim's family loses hope of getting compensation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 06, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Accident victim's family loses hope of getting compensation

Staff Reporter

Government obtains a stay on Rights Commission directive

TAMBARAM: The death of a six-year-old boy after he fell into an open drain in his school in Valasarawakkam on Friday is not an isolated incident.

Three years ago, a five-year-old boy died after he fell into a septic tank at Tamil Nadu Housing Board Quarters at Kadaperi near Tambaram. The boy's family has given up hopes of getting compensation, ordered by the State Human Rights Commission.

S. Lakshmanan, a five-year-old boy went missing from his house in Kakkiliyanpettai adjacent to the quarters since the evening of Thursday, May 1, 2003.

The next morning, his relatives found him dead in the open septic tank. Taking cognisance of a report in The Hindu , the SHRC took up the issue suo motu and appointed an officer to investigate the incident.

Three weeks after enquiring the incident with officials of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Tiruneermalai Panchayat and other government agencies, the Commission directed the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply to pay Rs. 50,000 to the boy's family as compensation.

It also directed the Secretary of the Department to ensure that such acts of negligence did not take place.

Family in distress

Enquiries show that the government obtained a stay on this directive and the boy's family till now has not received compensation. Selvam, the boy's father was an auto driver before a paralytic attack crippled him and the family is sustaining itself on the meagre income of Gnanam, the boy's mother who works as domestic help.

"I went to Chennai three or four times and also went to Chengalpattu for an enquiry in connection with the order on awarding of compensation," Gnanam said. "I was advised by the Commission to fight the case in the High Court to seek compensation. If I could afford to fight the case, why would I ever seek compensation," Gnanam said, fighting back her tears.

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