LI Network
Published on: November 27, 2023 at 11:48 IST
The Delhi High Court,approved the plea of a widow whose husband was a sanitation worker, seeking an increase in compensation from Rs.10 lakhs to Rs.30 lakhs.
This decision aligns with the directives issued by the Supreme Court in the case of Balram Singh v. Union of India & Ors., pertaining to the compensation for dependents of victims who lost their lives in manual scavenging.
The petitioner contested the initially granted compensation of Rs.10 lakhs and, in addition to seeking an enhancement in compensation, requested the court to instruct relevant agencies to ensure her complete rehabilitation. This includes provisions for employment, education for her children, and skill training, as outlined in the Balram Singh judgment.
The Supreme Court’s judgment in Balram Singh compelled the Union and States to guarantee an increase in compensation for sewer deaths.
The court mandated that the compensation, previously fixed at Rs.10 lakhs, be increased to Rs.30 lakhs, applicable from 1993. This amount is to be paid by the concerned agency, whether it be the Union, Union Territory, or the respective State.
The court further emphasized that this revised compensation should be paid to the dependents of victims who have not received the earlier specified amount.
In terms of rehabilitation measures, the Supreme Court directed the Union, States, and Union Territories to ensure full rehabilitation for sewage workers, including providing employment to their next of kin, education for their wards, and skill training for the survivors.
In line with the Balram Singh decision, Justice Subramonium Prasad ordered the application of the same directives to the petitioner’s case. The court instructed that these measures should be implemented within a timeframe of two months.
Case Title: Preeti v. Union of India & Ors., W.P.(C) 15156/2023