BENGALURU: A day after Express highlighted the callousness of BBMP officials (Bring husband’s body, then take money, BBMP officials tell wife of worker who drowned) in releasing compensation to the family of Shanthakumar-- the excavator operator who died while cleaning a storm water drain in the city, Mahalakshmi Layout MLA K Gopalaiah has come forward to take up the case.
A Kannada actor too has come forward with financial support for the family. “One of my family members will visit Saraswathi’s house and hand over some money on Sunday,” he said. He, however, did not want his identity to be disclosed.
Vinay Srinivas, an activist with the NGO Alternative Law Forum, said that many BBMP officials are unaware of labour rules. “Ideally, they should have responded immediately. It’s unfortunate that the mayor, who had even visited the spot, did not provide any compensation to the man’s family”.
“It’s unfortunate and cruel that BBMP is dilly-dallying over giving compensation to Shanthakumar’s family. Politicians seem to have announced compensation for the family as a publicity stunt,” said Jyothi A, president of the National Federation of Indian Women, Karnataka.
She added, “While elected representatives and officers spend lakhs on furnishing their offices, it is a tragedy that BBMP says it will pay a small compensation to the poor woman who has two kids. The chief minister should intervene in the matter and make sure that the full compensation is paid to the family without any delay.”