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Tamil Nadu

Sendur blast: seven dependants get government jobs

Special Correspondent

VILLUPURAM: The State government has provided jobs to seven dependents of the Sendur blast victims and two more proposals are under its consideration, according to Brajendra Navnit, District Collector.

Mr. Navnit made this observation on the commemoration of the first anniversary of the tragedy, which occurred at about 11.30 a.m. on April 7, 2007 at Sendur on the Tindivanam-Villupuram road and in which an explosives-laden jeep burst into a ball of flames, claiming the lives of 16 persons.

Twelve persons suffered severe injuries and 11 others minor injuries. In the impact, a total of 184 houses within the one-km radius were damaged.

The villagers observed the anniversary on Monday by taking out a silent procession and offering rituals to the departed souls at the site of the accident. There were complaints that the government had not given adequate compensation to the victims.

Therefore, to silence the critics, the Collector issued a statement, noting that the following persons had been absorbed into government services: P. Marimuthu, K. Vasudevan, M. Jayalakshmi and M. Ramalingam as Village Assistants, E.Santhi and S.Sakunthala as helpers in noon meal centres and M. Govindammal as a helper in an anganwadi.

The proposals for inducting Kannan and Ramesh into suitable jobs were pending clearance from the government. The Collector said that a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each was given away in two instalments (one soon after the incident and another based on the findings of the Farooqui committee) to the families of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh each to 11 seriously injured persons and Rs 15,000 each to 11 persons with simple injuries.

In the first phase a compensation of Rs. 8,86,500 was given away to 86 concrete buildings, Rs 4,31,250 to 37 tiled houses, and Rs 1,23,250 to 61 huts. In the second phase, a sum of Rs 2,53,265 was disbursed towards the repair of buildings.

Further, under the Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana programme the Mayilam branch of State Bank of India had extended loans to five families for setting up provisions shops and eateries.

Mr. Navnit also noted that the middle school at Sendur had been elevated as a high school on July 30, 2007 with additional classrooms built. A suitable place would be identified soon for setting up a primary health centre there, the Collector added.

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