COMPLAINTS, EVEN IF TELEPHONICALLY LODGED, BEING LOOKED INTO; REVIEW SCHEDULED AFTER FIRST PHASE COMPLETED
GANGTOK, 10 Oct: More than 70% of the compensation amount for victims of the 18 September earthquake has been disbursed all over the state. In terms of actual cash, this amount comes to approximately Rs. 33 crore for the entire state of Sikkim with East District accounting for a major share of just over Rs. 16 crore followed by South District where over Rs. 5 crore has been disbursed; in West district, the amount disbursed to victims having suffered house damages is around Rs. 3.5 crore and in North it is informed to be just over Rs. 3 crores as of now.
Relief Commissioner BK Kharel confirmed this, saying that over 70% of the amount to be disbursed as relief had been disbursed to the listed victims who had claimed various degrees of house damage.
This is the first phase of disbursement of the compensation amount and the Relief Commissioner has issued directions to the districts that all disbursement of compensation has to be completed by 15 October.
On an approximate level, the total amount claimed by people who have suffered house damage all over the State is around Rs. 50 crore as per figures compiled from the districts.
While generally, the disbursement process has been proceeding smoothly, it has been acknowledged that there have been complaints of discrepancies.
It is informed that the Relief Commissioner issued strict instructions to the District Collectors [for further directions down the line to the BDOs] after complaints came in that field functionaries, including some BDOs involved in the disbursement process, were found not to be in station.
In this regard, it is informed that strict warnings have been issued to the officials to remain in their posts and complete the disbursement process by 15 October.
Officials also acknowledge receipt of complaints, albeit telephonically, of discrepancies in the amount claimed to have been handed over and the actual amount received. In this regard, it is informed that while there have been no specific complaints by aggrieved individuals, information regarding this had come in over the phone to the office of the Relief Commissioner. The same had also been intimated to the Chief Secretary, it is informed.
In this regard strict measures have again been instituted to ensure that the right amount as claimed and verified reach the people. While the BDOs have been made responsible for the disbursement of compensation to the people, there will be monitoring by the SDMs, ADCs and other district officials. The Relief Commissioner is also enquiring into such complaints in order to verify them, it is learnt.
Some complaints also relate to people not being satisfied with the category of house damage in which their houses have been placed. Some claim major damage but their houses have been listed under minor damage category. All such complaints will be re-examined and verified, it was informed by officials, and the proper compensation awarded subsequently.
Other discrepancies which have been noticed include the kind of cheques being issued; while East district is issuing bearer cheques, the West district is issuing account payee cheques to victims.
Meanwhile in North Sikkim, the compensation is being handed over by the area MLA and panchayats when in other districts this task is being carried out by the block-level officials.
Officials also acknowledged that initially the disbursement process was not well coordinated leading to a degree of resentment among the people. However, now specific officials have been appointed and strict guidelines issued as to how to go about the process of disbursement.
GANGTOK, 10 Oct: More than 70% of the compensation amount for victims of the 18 September earthquake has been disbursed all over the state. In terms of actual cash, this amount comes to approximately Rs. 33 crore for the entire state of Sikkim with East District accounting for a major share of just over Rs. 16 crore followed by South District where over Rs. 5 crore has been disbursed; in West district, the amount disbursed to victims having suffered house damages is around Rs. 3.5 crore and in North it is informed to be just over Rs. 3 crores as of now.
Relief Commissioner BK Kharel confirmed this, saying that over 70% of the amount to be disbursed as relief had been disbursed to the listed victims who had claimed various degrees of house damage.
This is the first phase of disbursement of the compensation amount and the Relief Commissioner has issued directions to the districts that all disbursement of compensation has to be completed by 15 October.
On an approximate level, the total amount claimed by people who have suffered house damage all over the State is around Rs. 50 crore as per figures compiled from the districts.
While generally, the disbursement process has been proceeding smoothly, it has been acknowledged that there have been complaints of discrepancies.
It is informed that the Relief Commissioner issued strict instructions to the District Collectors [for further directions down the line to the BDOs] after complaints came in that field functionaries, including some BDOs involved in the disbursement process, were found not to be in station.
In this regard, it is informed that strict warnings have been issued to the officials to remain in their posts and complete the disbursement process by 15 October.
Officials also acknowledge receipt of complaints, albeit telephonically, of discrepancies in the amount claimed to have been handed over and the actual amount received. In this regard, it is informed that while there have been no specific complaints by aggrieved individuals, information regarding this had come in over the phone to the office of the Relief Commissioner. The same had also been intimated to the Chief Secretary, it is informed.
In this regard strict measures have again been instituted to ensure that the right amount as claimed and verified reach the people. While the BDOs have been made responsible for the disbursement of compensation to the people, there will be monitoring by the SDMs, ADCs and other district officials. The Relief Commissioner is also enquiring into such complaints in order to verify them, it is learnt.
Some complaints also relate to people not being satisfied with the category of house damage in which their houses have been placed. Some claim major damage but their houses have been listed under minor damage category. All such complaints will be re-examined and verified, it was informed by officials, and the proper compensation awarded subsequently.
Other discrepancies which have been noticed include the kind of cheques being issued; while East district is issuing bearer cheques, the West district is issuing account payee cheques to victims.
Meanwhile in North Sikkim, the compensation is being handed over by the area MLA and panchayats when in other districts this task is being carried out by the block-level officials.
Officials also acknowledged that initially the disbursement process was not well coordinated leading to a degree of resentment among the people. However, now specific officials have been appointed and strict guidelines issued as to how to go about the process of disbursement.
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