HYDERABAD: While the Central government announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured in the Swapnalok Complex fire, which claimed six lives, the kin of fire mishap victim Kunchem Triveni are still waiting for the compensation announced by the Central government on March 17.
The kin of five of the six fire victims received Rs 2 lakh in ex-gratia from the Central government. However, Triveni's family members have complained that they have yet to get compensation from the Central government. On March 16, Shiva, Vennela, Triveni, Pramila, Sravani, and Prashanth, all employees of the fraudulent Vihaan Direct Selling Pvt Ltd, died of asphyxiation after inhaling carbon monoxide when the massive blaze broke out in Secunderabad's Swapnalok complex.
The Telangana government had announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the victims. On the same day, the Central government announced Rs 2 lakh in ex-gratia for the deceased's kin and took phone numbers from family members. While the family members of Shiva, Vennela, Pramila, B. Sravani, and Prashanth received Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia, Triveni's father Rama Rao claimed that they have yet to receive compensation from the Central government.
“The officials obtained our Aadhar cards, bank details, and mobile numbers on April 4, but refused to give us their numbers when we asked. We are daily wage labourers, and we have no idea how the system works. We earn between Rs 200 and Rs 300 each day and are struggling to pay our daughter Mamata's intermediate college expenses,” said Rama Rao, Triveni’s father. Mamata, Triveni's younger sister, narrowly escaped death when the fire broke out in the Swapnalok Complex.
“We lost our elder daughter Triveni, and now we only have Mamata. I don't know how to read English, but the sarpanch said that after a series of reports published in Deccan Chronicle, the government responded and announced ex-gratia. I never imagined that such a calamity would befall my family. We are absolutely ruined as a result of Triveni's unfortunate death in the fire. When we went to speak with the SBI manager in Suddapalli, Rajeshwarapuram branch, in Khammam district he informed us that the ex-gratia amount had not yet been deposited to our account. There is no one to guide us. We are totally helpless,” said Triveni’s mother Kancham Ramana while giving her account details (Kancham Ramana , account number - 62409052295 (savings account) SBIN0020415 , Suddapalli village, Rajeshwaram branch (Khammam district).
