Give appropriate compensation to Tiruvallur Ammonia leak victims’ kin, Annamalai urges T.N. government

Former BJP leader K. Annamalai on Thursday sought appropriate compensation for the families of the deceased who died in the ammonia gas tragedy reported in Tiruvallur district recently under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979. He said the loss of lives in the accident raised a lot of questions.

Referring to the compensation of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased granted by the State government, Mr. Annamalai asked: “How is this sufficient and justified? The Odisha government has given ₹10 lakh as compensation to the victim. The Odisha government also facilitated the return of those migrant workers who were discharged after the treatment.”

“While the State government arranged safe passage of the bodies, how could the State administration forget the plight of those who were discharged from hospitals and waiting to return home?” he asked. Charging that the welfare board for migrant workers was non-existent, Mr. Annamalai added that the Board should be used to address the migrant workers’ concerns.