By Caesar Mandal
Kolkata, Jun 17 : Nearly two years have elapsed since militants gunned down three unskilled labourers from remote villages of Patharpratima in South 24 Paraganas inside the campus of Central Agricultural University, Iroisemba in Manipur's Imphal West district.
Soon after the incident, both Manipur and Bengal governments promised to pay 4 lakh and 1 lakh respectively as compensation to each hapless family. However, despite moving from pillar to post, families of the three haven't been compensated by the Manipur government, allegedly due to red tape in the Bengal government's labour department.
State labour minister Purnendu Basu, however, promised to pursue the matter personally. "Ask the victims' familes to meet me. If we have any fault, then I promise to sort out the matter immediately," said Basu, who took down the contact numbers of the three families. Basu's promise is now the only hope for the families.
Teenager Bappa Mondal lost his elder brother Gouranga in the incident. Gouranga was the sole earning member of the family. "Since his death, we have no source of income. My elderly parents can't work. Our family is now in a debt trap. I don't even know how I will continue with my studies," said Bappa, who has passed the higher secondary examination.
Families of Jagannath Mondal and Dilip Mondal, too, face an uncertain fate. "It's true that we have received 1 lakh from the Bengal government. But the remaining amount is yet to reach us," said Sashti Mondal, wife of Jagannath.
She said their financial condition prevented them from going to Imphal with all the required documents to get the compensation.
The Manipur government then asked its Bengal counterpart to send all the documents along with an application from the families seeking compensation.
Accordingly, the families submitted the documents to assistant labour commissioner at Diamond Harbour in August, 2010. But the file remained with additional labour commissioner Subal Biswas for more than 80 days while former labour minister Anadi Sahoo sat on it for the next 50 days.
Finally, documents were sent to the Manipur government in January, 2011. But the original copies were never sent though that's what the Manipur government wanted. So, compensation from the Manipur government never reached the victims.
Days ago, the helpless families again landed at Biswas's office to pursue the matter. When nothing happened, they wrote to the chief minister on June 13, pleading immediate action. Sources said the government officials have lost the original documents despite knowing that compensation will not be released without them. They sent duplicate copies to wash their hands off the matter.
Biswas, however, rubbished the allegation. "We have sent all the documents. We have already paid compensation of 1 lakh in accordance with our announcement and further verification is not needed," argued Biswas.
But labour commissioner Amal Roychowdhury has asked his officers to forward the application once again to the Manipur government. But no one knows when it will be sent.
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