NHRC blow to Odisha govt on liquor tragedy damage

Rejecting the contention of Odisha government, National Human Rights Commission has directed the state government to pay compensation to next of kin of 40 people, who died after consuming contaminated medicinal preparations containing alcohol in villages of Cuttack and Khurda districts in February 2012.
The NHRC direction came in accordance to the recommendations made by a judicial commission of enquiry headed by retired High Court judge Justice A S Naidu.
The commission had suggested in its report that an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh each be paid as damage to the families of 40 deceased although, 41 people had died in the tragedy.

The commission was not inclined to pay damage to one deceased as he was one of the illicit vendors of the liquor.
Although, the state government accepted the report of the Judicial Commission, it decided not to pay compensation to the families of the victims as suggested by the Commission.
A human rights activist from Varanasi, however, approached the NHRC seeking a direction to Odisha government to pay the compensation.
Adjudicating on the petition, the NHRC had issued a notice to the state government, which in return refused to pay the damage stating that the decision was taken by the state cabinet in consonance with previous practice.

Rejecting the stand of the state government, the NHRC has asked the state Chief Secretary to send a compliance report along with payment of monetary relief within six weeks, said a release issued today.