Tree fall: Panel to meet next week to decide on compensation | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Tree fall: Panel to meet next week to decide on compensation

Hindustan Times | ByKunal Purohit, Mumbai
Oct 16, 2010 01:38 AM IST

Taking a step forward, the municipal corporation has convened the first meeting of the seven-member committee set up to decide on the compensation to be paid to all victims of tree collapses this year.

Taking a step forward, the municipal corporation has convened the first meeting of the seven-member committee set up to decide on the compensation to be paid to all victims of tree collapses this year.

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HT Image

The meeting will be held on October 21.

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Following the spate of tree collapse incidents this year, which killed three people and injured 11 others, the corporation, on September 27, announced a landmark policy to compensate all these victims.

The committee will look into every case in which a person has been injured or killed, and decide on the amount of compensation that should be given depending on the gravity of the incident.

“With this meeting, we’ll be able to narrow down on the compensation that each victim should get, considering the gravity of injuries,” said Chandrashekhar Rokade, deputy municipal commissioner (Garden).

In its series of reports on tree collapses, the Hindustan Times had criticised the Brihanm-umbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) outdated tree pruning mechanism and held it accountable for such accidents.

Following the reports, the civic chief had announced that a new tree trimming mechanism and a compensation policy would be in place by the end of September. However, the first week of September saw two tragedies. On September 5, Mohammed Aslam Sheikh (45) died when a branch fell on his bike in Carnac Bunder. Three days later Rahim Shaikh (50) died when a jamun tree, growing inside the GPO premises, fell on his car.

According to the policy, the family of a victim killed in a tree collapse will get Rs 1 lakh as compensation, those with a permanent disability will get Rs 50,000 and the BMC will cover all medical expenses, if treated in a civic hospital, of those who are grievously injured.

However, protests from the families of tree-collapse victims and corporators forced the BMC to announce that the amount would be reviewed, depending on the case.

For instance, 19-year-old Antara Telang, who lost her right leg when a branch fell on her in June, will be liable for a compensation of Rs 50,000, though her family has spent Rs 2.5 lakh on her treatment.

During the meeting, the committee will review the amount and announce the final compensation that the Telang will be entitled for.

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