Uttarakhand High Court orders 50 per cent hike in compensation being paid to 2013 flood victims

The Uttarakhand High Court on Saturday ordered a hike of 50 per cent in compensation being paid to families of 2013-disaster victims besides asking the state government to pay Rs 7,500 per month for the upbringing of minor children of families which had lost their breadwinners in the flash floods tragedy.

A division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Rajeev Gupta and Justice Alok Singh issued the order on a PIL filed by BJP leaders Ajendra Ajay and Prakash Pant demanding higher compensation for affected families.

It was contended in the PIL that a meagre sum of Rs 5 lakh was being given as compensation to the affected families at a time when even a small construction project requires crores of rupees.

Taking cognisance of the matter, the Court directed that as of now families hit by the tragedy must receive 50 per cent more as compensation while the minor children of families which had lost their breadwinners must receive Rs 7,500 per month from the state treasury until they reach the age of adulthood.

In June 2013, a multi-day cloudburst in the state caused devastating floods and landslides becoming the country’s worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami. The torrential rains of unseen magnitude on 16-17 June caused widespread destruction and heavy losses to human and animal lives.