Vijay Orders Additional Rs 5.25 Crore Relief for Families of Thoothukudi Anti-Sterlite Protest Victims

Additional Compensation Approved

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has ordered the disbursement of an additional Rs 5.25 crore in relief to families affected by the anti-Sterlite protest in Thoothukudi in 2018. The order follows a request from representatives of the affected families seeking further compensation.

According to an official government release, the families of 13 people who died in police firing will each receive the remaining Rs 25 lakh, bringing their total compensation to Rs 50 lakh per family. Forty people who sustained grievous injuries will each receive an additional Rs 5 lakh, raising the total to Rs 10 lakh per person.

Basis for the Decision

The relief decision was taken on the recommendations of the Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission of Inquiry, the release said. The commission had examined the events surrounding the protests, which were held against the Sterlite copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi.

Background

The protests took place on May 22 and May 23, 2018, in Thoothukudi, a coastal district in Tamil Nadu. During the demonstrations, police opened fire, resulting in the deaths of 13 people and grievous injuries to 40 others. The families of the deceased and injured had already received initial relief payments of Rs 25 lakh for each of the dead and Rs 5 lakh for each of the grievously injured before the latest order.

What Next

The official release states that the additional amounts are to be disbursed to the families concerned following the Chief Minister’s order. No further details on the timeline of payments were included in the release.