A man hailing from Orissa will receive a compensation of Rs. 1.2 ($27,000) million from the US for financial loss suffered during the 1991 Gulf war, his family members here said.
Antrajami Pradhan, a resident of Mandapada village in the coastal district of Kendrapada was working as a plumber in Kuwait and was forced to return to Orissa during the war. Pradhan went back to Kuwait in 1994.
The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) having its main office at Geneva had listed people who were badly hit by the Gulf war while working in Kuwait and granted them compensation.
Pradhan was one of 23 untraced claimants from Orissa, whose names were recently published in newspapers by the Kuwait cell of the ministry of external affairs in India.
The claimants had not received compensation as neither the central government, nor, the state government was able to trace him.
"The special Kuwait cell in the ministry of external affairs, government of India recently sent a letter in the name of my husband seeking relevant documents like passport and visa papers so that they could hand over the money granted by UNCC, Pradhan's wife Susama said.
Meanwhile, Pradhan while speaking to IANS over the phone said the war had dashed his hopes. I spent days in deep anguish during the war period and was delighted when I was told that I would be granted compensation.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Pradhan while speaking to IANS over the phone said the war had dashed his hopes. I spent days in deep anguish during the war period and was delighted when I was told that I would be granted compensation.
{{/usCountry}}Pradhan is a father of three. His wife, two daughters and one son reside in his village Mandapada in Orissa.