The State government, on Monday, informed the Madras High Court Bench here of having issued an order on Wednesday for paying a total compensation of Rs.1,14,60,000 to 191 Dalit families which fell victim to alleged police atrocities during a clash between the former and Caste Hindus on October 2, 2008 over painting of a temple wall.
Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian submitted a copy of the Government Order before a Division Bench of Justices V. Ramasubramanian and N. Kirubakaran who were seized of a contempt of court application moved against former Madurai Collector for not having paid the compensation despite specific orders passed by the High Court Bench on April 8, 2013.
The G.O. stated that each of the 191 families were eligible for Rs.60,000 as per a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on December 23, 2011 and hence they shall be paid the amount after deducting the amount of interim compensation already paid to them in September 2009 in accordance with interim orders passed by the High Court.
It also listed out the names of all 191 beneficiaries and stated that sanction had been accorded now to pay Rs.1,04,32,000 to them since Rs.10.28 lakh had already been paid as interim compensation. After taking note of the G.O., the judges adjourned the hearing on the contempt petition to Wednesday since the petitioner’s counsel contested the quantum arrived at by the government.
The contempt application had been moved by All India Democratic Women’s Association represented by its Madurai district president S.K. Ponnuthai.
