new DElhi, Nov 28
With at least 38 families refusing to accept the government’s Rs 10 lakh compensation for those dead in the Manipur ethnic violence, the Supreme Court-appointed panel is learnt to have sought directions from the court to “prohibit” civil society organisations from “interfering with and/or obstructing” with the process.
While the district administration is trying to persuade the families, the panel headed by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal is learnt to have sought the court‘s direction for the 38 families of deceased persons to accept the ex-gratia amounts.
In its 14th report, submitted on October 21, the committee is also learnt to have sought another direction from the court to “prohibit the Civil Society Organizations from interfering with and/or obstructing the Next of Kin in accepting the ex-gratia amounts”.
The case will be heard again by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on December 4.
The committee also informed the Supreme Court that according to the state government, as of October 7, 175 cases of death have been reported and the deceased have been identified in 169 cases. Of these, 81 bodies have been claimed by the families of the victims, while 88 bodies have not been claimed by the deceased’s families. The state government is learnt to have told the committee that efforts are underway to identify the six remaining bodies.
Festive offer
The compensation has been made as a direct benefit transfer in 73 cases of 169 identified cases. Out of the remaining 96 cases, the verification is pending in 58 cases while 38 families have “expressed unwillingness” to receive the assistance. The refusal, the committee noted, is “due to pressure from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) like ITLF, JPO, KIM, etc.”
Of the 38 families refusing to accept the compensation, 13 are in Churachandpur and Imphal West districts each; nine in Kangpokpi; and three in Tengnoupal districts.
The Manipur government had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh.
While the state government contributes half of the compensation, the Union home ministry contributes the remaining amount.
