Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Friday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking enhancement of amount allotted for terror attack victims and also issue direction to government to take steps to ensure all victims get compensation because some people do not get it.
The HC closed the petition after it was informed that the government has already undertaken demands made in petition. The government pleader informed the division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice G S Kulkarni that the state government had increased the compensation amount for victims of terror attacks from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh and the Central government had also increased the compensation amount from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
The HC was informed that apart from increasing compensation protecting measures have also been taken like keeping the payment in fixed deposit to ensure that people who get it are not cheated. After hearing the arguments, the HC bench observed that compensation has been increased, protecting measures have been taken and if any victim does not get compensation than they are free to approach the court, hence nothing remains in the petition.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Rajeshwar Panchal seeking enhancement of compensation for victims of bomb blasts and terror attacks. The petitioner said that the current compensation was not sufficient and should be increased. Advocate Panchal also said that the income of the deceased, the social status of families and number of dependents should be taken into account while deciding the compensation amount.
The lawyer representing Union government also informed the court that it had framed guidelines on disbursement of compensation amount to the families of the victims of blasts and terror attacks. The court was informed that sufficient care has been taken to include in the guidelines steps to ensure the families of victims and protected and that they get the stipulated compensation amount. After taking statements of the state on record the bench disposed of the petition filed by advocate Panchal.
