Post News Network
Cuttack, March 13: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Friday awarded Rs 1.5 lakh compensation to each of the families of 40 victims killed in the hooch tragedy which struck Khurda and Cuttack districts in 2012 sending shockwaves across the state.
The state government will have to pay the total compensation amount, amounting to Rs 60 lakh, within six weeks as directed by the NHRC.
The Justice AS Naidu Commission report probing the hooch tragedy in 2012, which had claimed 40 lives, was tabled in the state Assembly July 26, 2014. Earlier, the Naidu Commission had recommended the compensation amount to the state government which the latter failed to pay.
The then state excise minister Damodar Rout had tabled the report in the Assembly. The Commission had recommended a hike in value-added tax (VAT) levied on medical preparations with high alcohol content to prevent such deaths.
Among the other recommendations of the report were action against illicit liquor distilleries, steps to control production and import of methyl alcohol and denature spirit, strengthening of enforcement squads of the drug controller and strict vigil on the alcohol supplied to and consumed by pharmaceutical units.
The report is learnt to have also suggested imposition of restrictions on production of medicines with more than 20 per cent alcohol content, formation of multi-department squads under the district collector to collect information on illicit liquor, checks on all homoeopathy medicine stores twice a month and closing down of unregistered medicine stores.
The commission, in its report, had also suggested a toll-free number for complaints to be lodged and financial assistance for whistle-blowers.
After the tragedy that made national headlines, then excise minister AU Singhdeo resigned from the state cabinet taking moral responsibility.
