‘One-time aid won’t do’, Gujarat High Court for pension to kin of Morbi victims

Ahmedabad, December 9

Observing that one-time compensation is not going to help the kin of the victims of the Morbi suspension bridge collapse, the Gujarat High Court asked the Oreva Group, the company responsible for operation and maintenance of the ill-fated bridge, to provide life-time pension to the elderly who lost their sons and jobs or stipend to widows.

A Bench of Chief Justice Sunil Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee was hearing a suo motu PIL on the October 30, 2022, incident in which 135 persons lost their lives after a British-era suspension bridge collapsed. Ten women were widowed and seven children orphaned.

“Give jobs to widows, or stipend if they do not want jobs. You have to support them throughout their life. They may not be in a position to work. There are women who have never worked,” Chief Justice Agarwal told the firm.

While the company claimed it was taking care of orphans and widows, the HC wanted to know what was it doing about elderly men who had lost their young sons on whom they were dependent.

“One-time compensation is not going to help you. This is a scar for life. There has to be some recurring expenditure by the company,” it said. The HC bench also observed that a trust be created for disbursal of compensation to the affected people, as it may not be possible for the court to monitor the process for years. It also asked the government to suggest ways by which needs of the victims’ kin can be met. The HC directed the Morbi Collector to coordinate with the company and submit a report about the prevailing condition as well as the status and financial condition of the victims’ kin and the kind of support they need.