The Hindu 07.03.2011
Deceased worker’s family told to represent before Municipal Commissioner
The Madras High Court has directed the family of a person, who died
while doing manual scavenging in Kancheepuram in October last year, to
give a representation to the Kancheepuram Municipal Commissioner seeking
compensation.
On receipt of the representation along with the court
order copy, the official should take appropriate and prompt action,
preferably within six weeks. The Commissioner should file a report
regarding the nature of action taken in the matter. Justice R. Sudhakar
passed the order on a writ petition by S. Radha, wife of K. Sundaraj,
their two minor children and his mother, seeking direction to the Tamil
Nadu government and the municipality to pay them just and reasonable
compensation.
The petitioner said Sundaraj died while cleaning the
block in drainage. Following the tragedy, the family gave
representations to the District Collector, marking a copy to the Chief
Minister’s cell, seeking compensation for the death as a result of
negligence by authorities.
The family lived in poverty. No representation had been
given to the municipality claiming compensation. Mr. Justice Sudhakar
said if what was stated by the petitioners was correct the family had to
be compensated.
