State-run power giant NTPC has announced to pay a compensation of Rs 20 lakh each to the bereaved families of labourers who died in the recent flash flood at its Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project in Uttarakhand.
As more and more bodies are being pulled out from the affected areas, kins of flood victims were seen waiting outside for long hours with hopes in their eyes to meet their missing family members who were either working at the Tapovan project or were living nearby.
Details of the procedure for payment for the financial aid to the next of kin of labourers killed in the calamity is being worked out, NTPC's spokesman RP Jayada told reporters here.
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On February 7, a massive destruction rocked Uttarakhand's Chamoli district after an avalanche triggered flash floods. Hundreds of people went missing in the unforeseen tragedy, while 54 people lost their lives, said officials
Apart from NTPC's compensation, the state government and the Centre have separately announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively for the kins of labourers who died in the Tapovan-tunnel.
On Monday, NTPC has speed up the procedure to pay compensation to the families of workers who died in the Tapovan tragedy.
NTPC's 520 mega watt (MW) under-construction Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro Project, located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand was largely affected due to the destruction, the company said.
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"NTPC Ltd has fast tracked all modalities and procedures required for distribution of compensation to the immediate families of those who lost their lives in the natural disaster that struck Tapovan project," the company said in a statement.
Further, compensation against PF and Employees' Compensation Act covered under statutory provisions of the workers in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh will also be made available, NTPC said.
Besides, a dedicated taskforce from NTPC has been working round-the-clock on the modalities including collating necessary information with regard to every missing worker and liasoning with the District Administration in order to fast-track compensation distribution, it said.
A workforce has been set up at the plant to coordinate with the administration and gather all required information about every missing worker, said company official
He said rescue work is underway on a war footing at Tapovan-Vishnugad project site by multiple agencies to reach people believed to be trapped inside the tunnel.
Real-time information is being shared with the agencies involved in the exercise to expedite it, Jayada said.
The spokesman said 325 people including engineers, officials, scientists and geologists of NTPC, THDC, CISF, UPNL and their subsidiaries are stationed at the project site to speed up the rescue work.
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With PTI Inputs
