Gaja cyclone: HC faults no compensation for tiled-roof houses

The Madras High Court Thursday observed it was a "great injustice" to deny compensation to those who lost their tiled-roof houses to cyclone 'Gaja' and directed the Tamil Nadu government to take a policy decision on it. Disposing of the petition by Muruganandham of Tiruvarur district, Justice R Sureshkumar said a government order should be issued based on the policy decision.

Noting that it was a "great injustice" to deny compensation because the dwellings had tiled roof, he directed the state government to complete the exercise within a month and file the compliance report on July 23. The petitioner submitted he had lost his house with tiled roof due to the impact of the cyclone, which hit the district last year, and sought compensation for it as he was living on the street.

Claiming that he was denied compensation as his house was tiled, the petitioner termed it as "unfair." The GO should mention the quantum of compensation earmarked, which must be adequate enough, enabling the victims to reconstruct their houses, he said. The Judge also said till such time the full compensation is paid, an interim one should be paid to those who had lost their tiled house.

The interim compensation should be decided by the District Collector depending on the immediate need of the victims. Cyclone Gaja had crossed the coast near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district, about 300 km from Chennai, in November last year, leaving a trail of destruction in over 10 districts in the southern parts of the state, claiming 46 lives.