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BBMP needs a reminder on Rs 1 lakh promised to treefall victim last year

  • Firoz Pasha, a mid-day meal supplier, died on June 27, 2016, after a tree uprooted and fell on him in Malleshwaram
  • BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad announced Rs 1 lakh compensation to the victim’s family and then conveniently forgot the very next day
  • It has been over a year and the family members are still awaiting BBMP’s compensation

 

BBMP announces compensation for rain victims what about the Rs 1 lakh promised last year

Corruption in the state and in the BBMP is a given. However, when the money game is played over a person’s death, then it becomes all the more unforgiving.

48-year-old Firoz Pasha, was on Margosa Road on June 27 last year when owing to strong winds a huge Indian Cork Tree uprooted and he was caught underneath its fall. A midday meal supplier, he was the breadwinner for his family. He left behind three children and a wife. Two of his children are still in school while the third has is working to support the family now. Needless to say, the money would have helped them in their time of distress.

When the incident happened, BBMP drew a lot of flak. Hoping to shut mouths, the BBMP commissioner Manjunath Prasad had to say this: When BBMP cuts trees then environmentalists targets us and when a tree falls then also the organisation is held accountable.” A Rs 1 lakh compensation will be given to the victims' family, he had said then.

Today, the family says, they are willing to give a cut from the compensation to the commissioner to release the amount.

"The BBMP's negligence of not checking old and vulnerable trees killed my brother. The BBMP commissioner had come to KC General Hospital where the body was kept, and he had announced Rs 1 lakh rupees compensation although this amount is very little. Still, the family agreed to take it. I have approached his office and also local BBMP officials to get the compensation, still no response. If BBMP commissioner wants a commission from the compensation, we are ready to give, let him take his cut and give the remaining amount to family,"  said Sibgathulla, younger brother of the victim.

The victim’s family members say that have approached BBMP officials including commissioner at his office but not even a single time the officials cooperated. "None came to help us get out compensation; the sad part is that even BBMP commissioner has no time for poor people.  I think he is also dead," said Sibgathulla.

Malleshwaram MLA, Dr  C.N Ashwath Narayana who had helped the family by getting the body shifted to hospital from the accident spot also expressed his dismay at the BBMP’s attitude.

"Now BBMP is busy announcing ex-gratia to victims of floods and also treefalls victim near JC Road, but they have neglected to compensate victims family who died last year," he said.

Sibgathulla is not wrong in asking then whether the BBMP has time for poor people?

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