Girl’s death after falling into MDM dal vessel: NHRC orders Rs 2 lakh more ex-gratia
BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the chief secretary of Odisha to pay Rs 2 lakh more compensation over and above the state’s sanctioned ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the family members of the minor girl, who had died after falling into hot dal vessel meant for mid day meal (MDM) in Koraput district in 2014.
Acting on a petition filed by lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the commission passed this direction and sought compliance report along with proof of payment by October 15. The petitioner had filed this plea on November 24, 2014 seeking corrective measures against these mishaps and requesting the NHRC to investigate the case.
On November 16, 2014, one class IX student Basanti Barik of Baligaon Girls’ High School in Boipariguda block of Koraput district had fallen into a large container of hot dal while waiting in the queue for the midday meal. She was taken to a nearby government hospital before shifting to district headquarters hospital at Koraput for further treatment. Later she succumbed to her burn injuries on November 20, 2014.
The NHRC had taken cognizance of the complaint on June 8, 2015, and called for an action taken report within four weeks, from the concerned authorities. The state had informed the rights panel about payment of Rs 1 lakh as ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased child. On December 19, 2018, it had observed that the amount of Rs 1 lakh as ex-gratia payment is not sufficient and issued a show cause notice to the state chief secretary as to why an additional compensation of Rs 2 lakh should not be paid to the next of kin of the deceased child for violation of her human rights.
On March 12, the commission had observed that the state authorities neither submitted proof of ex-gratia payment nor any reply to the show cause notice despite issuing reminders. Therefore, the rights panel had recently confirmed its recommendation of paying additional compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family members of the deceased over and above ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh.