Dalit Samithi demands Rs 5 lakh compensation for Bajpe landslide victims

Mangalore, Jul 12: Members of the district unit of Karnataka Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi have urged the Dakshina Kannada district administration to provide a minimum compensation of Rs 5 lakhs each for the four Dalit victims who died in the Bajpe landslide tragedy 3 weeks ago.

Speaking at a press conference here on Thursday, state convenor of the Samithi M Devadas said that the mishap had occurred due to lack of precautionary measures in place, and that the compensation amount of Rs 1.5 lakhs announced by the district authorities was not sufficient in this age of inflation.

Although the district administration has provided temporary shelters for the affected families and those who had been evacuated from the Dalit colony, the place is not fit for inhabitation, he said, demanding for rehabilitation of the evacuated families on a nearby plot of land belonging to the government in Kenjar village. The district authorities should provide the affected Dalit families with rehabilitation on a plot of 5 cents each, along with a proper road, drinking water facilities, an Anganwadi centre and Samaja Bhavan, he said.

He also urged that the five victims who were injured in the landslide also be given some form of compensation, since they were not offered any.

Mr Devadas said that a minor Dalit boy Ravishankar (13) who had lost his parents previously, had also lost his sister in the tragedy, and had been orphaned. The complete responsibility and upbringing of the boy should be taken care of by the government, he said.

The Samithi also demanded that appropriate legal action should be taken against the builders who had built illegal complexes on the land without constructing a retaining wall.

The members have also demanded a bravery award should be conferred to Ashwitha who had escaped the landslide and effectively managed to warn the neighbouring family of the danger and saved the lives of six members.

District convenors of the Samithi R C Ameen, Raghu K Yekkur and M V Padmanabha, members Padmakshi and Shekhar Hejamadi were present.