Did Kerala Govt Provide Rs 10 Lakh and Job for Victim's Son After Tragic Building Collapse?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Kerala government sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for the deceased's family.
- Job offered to Bindu's son matching his qualifications.
- Initial ministerial response faced public outrage.
- Community support prompted compensation demands.
- Safety of public infrastructure remains a concern.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 10 (NationPress) - The Cabinet led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan approved a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the family of 56-year-old Bindu, who tragically lost her life last week when part of a building at the state-run Kottayam Medical College Hospital collapsed, burying her beneath the rubble.
Outrage erupted as two ministers, Health Minister Veena George and Ports Minister V.N. Vasavan, initially asserted that no one was trapped under the debris, given that the toilet block had been closed for some time.
Eventually, Bindu's remains were recovered, prompting demands from both the Congress and BJP for sufficient compensation for her family, who had relied on her modest daily income of Rs 300.
During their visit to Bindu's family, the ministers faced demands for financial support from her relatives.
Tragically, her son, who had just graduated in engineering, was poised to present his first salary to his mother when the disaster struck.
In addition to the Rs 10 lakh compensation, the Cabinet also pledged a state government job for Bindu’s son, aligned with his qualifications.
Minister George previously announced that Bindu's daughter, who was undergoing surgery during the incident, would receive free treatment and has since been re-admitted to the hospital.
As CM Vijayan is currently in the US for medical treatment, the Cabinet meeting was conducted virtually.
Chandy Oommen, the Congress legislator who arrived at the hospital on that tragic day, was the first to suggest that individuals might be trapped under the debris, prompting the rescue operation that ultimately retrieved Bindu's body after two hours.
“We anticipated the government would provide Rs 25 lakh as compensation. While the job offer is commendable, we had strongly advocated for this support,” stated Oommen.