OPS demands uniform compensation for families of hooch victims

CHENNAI: AIADMK ousted leader and former chief minister O Paneerselvam urged the DMK government to announce uniform solatium to the families of the victims, who unfortunately died in various incidents.

In a statement, Panneerselvam said that electrocution, death in cracker unit fire and death due to rain related incidents have increased. "However, there is no uniformity in compensating the families of the victims,” he added.

Pointing out the death of 22 persons due to hooch tragedy, he said "The State government had given compensation of Rs 10 lakh to each bereaving family,” he said adding that though extending financial assistant for those died after consuming spurious liquor is against the law, the government announced the solatium due to the poor financial background of the victims and thier families.

"At the same time the announced financial assistance should be recovered from those, who sold the spurious liquor,” he said.

Stating that the financial assistance for the families of the victims defers from each incident, Panneerselvam said "It was hard to understand the partiality in providing solatium."

"The chief minister should immediately intervene into the issue and should come out with proper guidelines to compensate the victim's family," he said.