S. Sundari, a middle aged woman, whose husband was buried alive while digging a ring well at a coastal village, near Thirupullani on March 20, urged the district administration to secure compensation to the family under Tamil Nadu government’s ‘GO 65.’
In a petition to Collector S. Natarajan, Ms. Sundari who came to the Collectorate with her two children – Swetha (14) studying class IX and Sabarivasan (8), studying class III, – said she was struggling to make both ends meet after losing the family’s only breadwinner.
Her husband C Selvaraj (45) from Monganvalasai was engaged in digging ring well at the coastal Shanmugavelpattinam on March 20 along with other workers, when the sandy upper portion caved in. He got trapped in the sand and was buried alive, while two others managed to escape.
Though officials promised compensation, she has not received any assistance so far, she said. She urged the Collector to prevail upon the labour department and secure the compensation. “We are living in abject poverty and I could not provide one square meal a day to my children,” she said. A class VIII drop out, Sundari said her husband had registered with the Tamil Nadu Workers Welfare Board but had no card. Officials, however, assured her she still could get compensation under GO 65, she said. The GO facilitates compensation to workers who died at worksites even if they were not registered with the board. Families of two workers, who were buried alive, while digging a ring well at Kuthukkal Valasai near Thirupullani, were not registered with the board but were awarded compensation under the ambit of the GO.
They were the first beneficiaries after ‘GO 65’ was issued in February last year, official sources said. The welfare board had awarded the two families accident relief of ₹. 5 lakh each in August last year, they said.
