The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday observed that the compensation given by the state government to migrant workers whose huts were burnt down in Bengaluru by unidentified miscreants in Kacharakanahalli in March was too meagre. The observations by the Bench came on Tuesday as the government’s counsel submitted that the ruling BJP had decided that Rs 6,100 will be given as compensation.
A bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi says the amount is "unreasonably low".
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) August 11, 2020
This compensation is not sufficient as there is violation of Article 21, Court.
Bar and Bench reported that the Bench led by Chief Justice AS Oka and comprising Justice Ashok S Kinagi found the compensation to be “unreasonably low” and insufficient, as this incident amounted to a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees protection of life and personal liberty. The Bench urged the state government to consider increasing the amount. However, the court ordered that until then, the state government can pay the decided amount as it will give some relief to the victims amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It may be recalled that the HC had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter earlier in June after Bengaluru-based advocate Vaishali Hegde had written to the Chief Justice about the incident. The state government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) were made respondents to the case.
The HC in its previous hearing had asked the state government to identify those who were affected by the mishap and ensure that they were rehabilitated.
The 55 huts which were gutted between March 24 and 30, were set up by migrant workers from Kalaburagi district. A report by the Karnataka Fire and Emergency Services Department had said that the articles which were burnt included ration kits, clothes and other household items.
A police complaint over the incident was registered only on May 1 based on a complaint by a resident of the settlement after some huts were attempted to be razed by an earthmover. Until then, the police said that those affected had termed it as an accident only.