HASSAN: Despite an assurance from the previous Congress-led coalition Government that Rs. 1 lakh would be paid as compensation to the families of victims of the 2005 hooch tragedy, in which many died after consuming spurious liquor in Nelamangala taluk, five families of Tubinakere village in Channarayapatna taluk are yet to receive compensation as the Government is yet to take a final decision on the issue.

The then Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh had announced in Nelamangala that the Government would pay Rs. 1 lakh to the victims' families after obtaining a report from the district administration. In all, 22 persons died and more than 100 were left partially blind.

Two persons had died in Hettur village of Sakleshpur taluk on March 17, 2005, and later five died in Tubinakere. By the time the police had made arrests in these cases, 13 more people had died in similar circumstances in Bage, Belagodu and Golagonda villages of Sakleshpur taluk. Even after the district administration announced that it was taking steps to contain the procurement and supply of spurious liquor, two persons died in Satenahalli village in Holenarsipur taluk on May 15, 2005. This was followed by two deaths in Hindalahalli village on June 5, 2005.

Siddaramaiah's visit

The then Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, who visited Sakleshpur taluk, promised that the Government would release compensation for the families of the victims and also that it would help in the education of those children who had lost their parents.

People of the village say that political reasons are behind the delay in the release of the compensation. "Although the issue was brought to the notice of the district in-charge as well as Public Works Minister H.D. Revanna, no compensation has been given as yet," they alleged. They said that even during the previous regime, the issue had been brought to the notice of the then Minister for Excise Chennigappa, but nothing had been done.

Meanwhile, the people of Tubinakere, led by Mayanna Gowda, met Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on March 6 and urged him to speed up the process of disbursing compensation. When the press sought a clarification in this regard from Mr. Kumaraswamy at a review meeting chaired by him, he assured them that he would look into the matter. But nothing has happened after his visit.

Deputy Commissioner K.H. Ashwathanarayana Gowda told The Hindu that the district administration would send a reminder to the Chief Minister's office on the issue.

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