The Hindu : National : Orissa announces compensation

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Tuesday, Jan 01, 2008
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National

Orissa announces compensation

Special Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR: As thousands of communal violence-hit people struggled to come to terms with life in Kandhamal district of Orissa for the seventh day on Monday, the Naveen Patnaik Government announced a package for them in an attempt to save its sagging image.

When protests and demonstrations continued in different parts of the State to condemn the government’s “failure” to tackle the situation and instil confidence in the minds of the affected people, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik convened a high level meeting here to review the situation prevailing in Kandhamal.

The meeting decided that the families whose houses had been burnt down by the attackers would be provided with one dwelling unit each under the Indira Awas Yojana. Those whose houses had been damaged partially would get Rs. 10,000 each as compensation.

The next of kin of the three persons who were killed in the violence would be given Rs. 1 lakh each as ex-gratia from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, the government said.

In an attempt to win over the agitating tribals who were opposed to grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the Kui language speaking non-tribals in Kandhamal, the government said there was no question of granting ST status to the non-tribal people who spoke Kui.

Even as reports from Kandhamal indicated that thousands of people were still hiding in forests, the government claimed that relief operation had started to help the affected people cope with the situation. Over 2,000 blankets had been distributed to the violence-hit people.

Attending the meeting, Director General of Police Gopal Chandra Nanda claimed that the district had not witnessed any violence after December 27.

The situation was becoming normal and the people who had fled the villages apprehending trouble had started returning to their homes, Mr. Nanda said.

According to Mr. Nanda, 80 persons had been arrested for their role in the violence and cases had been registered against 40 of them.

Twelve country-made guns were recovered from the violence-hit Brahmanigaon area of Kandhamal during the day and 20 persons had been taken into custody in this connection, Mr. Nanda said.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly J.B. Patnaik held the government responsible for the communal violence in Kandhamal.

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