Halving solatium for victims unacceptable, says Stalin

Reacting to reports, including in DT Next, that the government had halved the solatium to Rs 25 lakh, he said these workers were risking their lives while working day and night and added that it was unacceptable to reduce the financial assistance.

The government had initially announced Rs 10 lakh financial assistance for the kin of the frontline workers, which was later increased to Rs 50 lakh, Stalin said in a statement on Friday. The bulletin issued by the Health Department every day does not have any information on the number of deaths among the workers on the frontline. “It is a complete blackout of their sacrifice,” he charged.

Also, the government has not issued a clear statement on the number of staff on the ground who received Rs lakh as announced for those contracting the infection during mitigation efforts, he added.

“The government should refrain from spending money on urgent tenders and instead provide all the necessary financial assistance, including Rs 2 lakh to coronavirus affected frontline workers and Rs 50 lakh to the families of the victims who died due to the infection,” Stalin said.