MHRC recommends compensation

IMPHAL, March 21: The Manipur Human Rights Commission today recommended the commissioner of works to pay a sum of Rs 3 lakh as compensation to the wife of a Manipur police constable, late N Joykumar Singh of Thoubal Thivam Leisangkhong who was killed in an accident on the Jamuna bridge in Thoubal district. The deceased constable met the accident at about 8.30 pm on May 12 1999 while returning home after attending a wedding ceremony. He left behind three minor sons and one daughter. The commission ruled that out of the compensation amount, Rs 1 lakh is to be paid either in cash or cheque to the deceased's wife, M Memtombi Devi for the daily maintenance of her family, while the rest Rs 2 lakh is to be deposited in a nationalized bank in her name till her youngest son attains the, age of 18 years, so that she can use the interest incurred out of the deposited amount for her family till that period. The state government authority was asked to comply with the recommendation within June 30 next, failing which an interest rate of 6 per cent per annum will be charged. The commission further directed the authority to report about the action taken on the recommendation before it within July 11 next. In its recommendation the commission observed that owing to the negligence on the part of the state public works department, the deceased constable had met the accident. It was also suggested that the compensation amount may be recovered from the then chief engineer and the present member of MPSC, E Binoy Singh, chief engineer-II, L Lokendro Singh and executive engineers K Mohari Singh. It may be recalled that after Memtombi had filed a complaint before on June 8, 1999, the commission took the case and conducted a spot enquiry as well as examination of witnesses. Finally the commission had come to establish that the bridge was partially damaged and PWD did not bother to repair it nor put up any signboard as warning for danger of the bridge.