Questioning the rationale behind the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government granting Rs 10 lakh in financial assistance each to the families of victims who lost their lives in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, the Madras High Court on Friday stated that the figure was “too much.”
A bench of Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shafiq, hearing a PIL filled by Mohamed Ghouse, Secretary of the Welfare Party, asked the state government how such a huge amount of compensation is being given to someone who died after consuming spurious liquor.
The Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy happened on June 19. The spurious liquor, mixed with methanol, was supplied near the police station and claimed the lives of 65 people. Several people are still receiving treatment.
The court observed that families should not be encouraged, with huge compensations, in cases of hooch deaths.
“Why should the family be encouraged? You’re paying Rs 10 lakh. That is encouragement. If a person dies in an accident, you can provide compensation. But not in this case. 10 lakh is too much. You need to sit with the secretaries and figure out another mechanism,” the court told the state, LiveLaw reported.
In the PIL, Ghouse said that the state government should not pay such a huge amount of money to those who consumed illicit liquor and thereby committed an illegal act.
The financial aid should be given only to victims of accidents and not to those who have committed an illegal act for self-pleasure, as the petitioner in the case stated in the PIL.
Source Agencies
