The Hindu : New Delhi News : Families of bus accident victims demand compensation

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Sunday, Dec 09, 2007
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New Delhi

Families of bus accident victims demand compensation

Staff Reporter

Dharna led by BJP leader Vijay Goel in the Capital

- Photo: V.V. Krishnan

United we stand: Family members of Blueline bus accident victims on dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday.

NEW DELHI: Family members, including minor children and widows, of the victims of bus accidents in the Capital this year staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar here on Saturday demanding adequate compensation and employment for one member from each affected family.

Addressing the affected families, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Goel, who led the dharna, said the Blueline buses and DTC buses together had killed 164 people since January this year. “While Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh for those who died in an accident at Badarpur in South Delhi in October, no compensation has been announced for those killed in other incidents,” said Mr. Goel.

The former Union Minister further demanded that the Government give Rs.5 lakh compensation to the victims and also provide employment to one member from each affected family. Mr. Goel said the Government had made the announcement in this regard too but nothing had happened so far.

Mr. Goel also expressed surprise at the Government’s announcement that new private buses would be on the road only by 2010. “Will the public continue to suffer at the hands of the Blueline buses till then?” he asked.

Among those who sat on dharna were Harnarayan and Omwati, residents of Nangloi, whose 22-year-old son Vinod was killed by a Blueline bus. Chandra Devi, along with her four minor children, also joined the dharna. She had lost her husband in another accident involving a Blueline bus.

Another couple, Rooprani and Praveen Sudana, who had lost two of their sons in an accident at Badapur, also participated in the dharna.

Mr. Goel demanded that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit clearly state whether her Government would award compensation to all the affected families or not. He also expressed surprise that the Government was able to find funds for high capacity bus corridors but was not willing to compensate the families of the victims.

The BJP leader warned that if the families of the victims were not paid adequate compensation they would stage a dharna outside the Chief Minister’s residence.

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