VILLUPURAM: A farm labourer’s son-in-law in Tamil Nadu sent an unusual mail and a money order for Rs 2,000 to District Collector Dr L Subramanian last week. The letter sent by registered post said the money order was bribe money.
It requested the Collector to distribute the amount to who all it needs to trickle down to for releasing Rs 12,500 compensation for his father-in-law’s death nine months ago under the farmers social security scheme. The letter also specifically named the bribe seekers.
The mail was sent in exasperation, as ever since Thoppiyan (55) died on August 30 last year, Thirupazhani (37) and his wife Sudha (27) had hit the bribery wall every time they approached the Thirunavalur Revenue Inspector’s office to get compensation her mother Kuppammal (50) is entitled to. The family is based in Aanathur village near Thirunavalur.
The compensation has two components: Rs 10,000 as death compensation and Rs 2,500 as funeral rites assistance. According to Thirupazhani, as soon after they applied for assistance, village assistant Balaraman demanded Rs 3,000 as bribe to sanction it, claiming that all the revenue officials, including the RI and the taluk office in Ulundurpet ought be given their respective share to clear the paperwork.
When Thirupazhani (in pic) escalated it to the Thirunavalur RI, he was allegedly snubbed and asked to settle it at the village assistant level itself. Thirupazhani then tried to get the application cleared directly at the Ulundurpet taluk office. There again an unidentified official in a dhoti allegedly demanded Rs 500 to process it. Last April, the family sent a petition to the Collect or demanding action against the bribe seekers but got no response.
That is when they hit upon the idea of sending a money order and naming and shaming the shady officials. However, sources in the Villupuram Collector’s office said they have not received any letter or money order from Thirupazhani yet.
This is not the first time heartless officials have been found demanding bribe for releasing death compensation. Last August, 15-year-old Ajith Kumar created sensation by going around with a begging bowl to raise funds for bribing a VAO at M Kunnathur village near Ulundurpet for getting the same compensation.