Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Friday
issued an order for payment of compensation totalling Rs 1.59
crore to those injured in the firing at Nandigram on March 14,
2007.
The move comes two days after the Supreme Court asked
the state government to comply with its directive in this
regard.
The 159 injured would be paid Rs one lakh each for which
the government order was issued during the day, Chief
Secretary Samar Ghosh told reporters here.
He claimed that the decision to pay compensation had
been taken a month before the Supreme Court`s directive.
The file regarding payment of compensation was with the
Finance Department, he said, adding the government gave the
order after it was released.
Ghosh claimed that payment of compensation had been
under active consideration of the state government in
compliance with the order of the Calcutta High Court on
November 16, 2007.
The court had directed the government to make payment of
compensation to each of the injured persons whose particulars
were given.
"Governor is pleased to accord sanction to a total sum
of Rs 1.59 crore only for making payment of compensation to
the 159 injured persons in the Nandigram incident," the
government order said.
The order allotted the sum for the disposal of the East
Midnapore district magistrate for payment to the injured after
proper identification.
The state government has already paid compensation of Rs
two lakh each to three rape victims and five lakh each to the
families of the dead.
PTI
