Hindustan Times 03.12.2010
BMC compensates 2 victimsNearly four months after Hindustan Times reported that a falling tree branch cost Antara Telang, 18, her right leg, she received compensation from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Tamanna Bhojani, 30, a Kandivli resident who lost her job when a falling tree branch crushed her spine, also received her compensation cheque on Wednesday. Both got Rs 50,000 as per the new policy for compensating victims of falling branches.
Cheques are yet to be issued in three other cases.
Aslam Shaikh and Rahim Shaikh died when tree branches came crashing down on them. Both incidents occurred within a span of three days in September on the same street, PD’Mello Road at Colaba.
In October, Anne Fernandes, a resident of Kolovery village at Kalina, had to be put on a ventilator after a branch fell on her.
Officials said they would hand over compensation cheques to Fernandes as well as the families of Aslam and Rahim within two days.
“Life is not the same. I am a very active person and involved in several activities in college. But no matter how hard I try, I am much slower now and everything requires an extra effort,” said Telang, who returned to class two months after her accident. Bhojani, who also suffered broken ribs, can now walk. For a few months, she could barely manage to change position while lying down. Said Chetan, her brother, “We had just returned from our native village in Gujarat. Even though we had to take added precautions with her, she’s on track to make a full recovery.”
The BMC was criticised not just for taking too long to provide compensation but also because the amount didn’t even cover medical costs. The Bhojanis spent Rs 1.5 lakh on Tamanna’s treatment, while Telang has so far spent Rs 2.5 lakh.
