Puri: The widow of an employee of the Excise Department who died in an accident was awarded a compensation of Rs 22 lakh after a prolonged battle of 18 years.
The Puri district administration handed over the cheque of Rs 22 lakh to Sanjukta, widow of Parsuram Mohanty of Hatasahi in Satyabadi block.
Mohanty met with an accident in 2004 and was undergoing treatment at Sadar hospital in Puri. He met with another accident while being shifted to Cuttack in an amublance, and passed away.
Mohanty’s family moved the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, alleging that he died due to the driver’s negligence and questioned the fitness of the ambulance.
The Tribunal ordered the authorities concerned to pay a compensation of Rs 9.77 lakh to the family of the deceased, and an interest of 7% be added every year, till the amount is not paid.
However, the journey was not that easy for Sanjukta. She had to brave a legal battle for more than 18 years to get the compensation. All these years, she struggled to meet the expenses of the family of three sons and two daughters, in the absence of her husband.
After an ordeal spanning almost two decades, the bereaved family of Mohanty got their due on December 17. Had the authorities empathised with the family in duress, Sanjukta would not have waited this long for what she rightly deserved, a human rights activist said.
