Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court directed the state government to consider the payment of ex gratia to a 35-year-old woman whose husband died in 2019 due to a thunderbolt.
Revenue authorities had not considered her request to pay the ex gratia amount of ₹6 lakh under GO No. 2 of 2018 by the revenue department, which clearly states that the families of those who died due to thunderbolts are eligible for an ex gratia amount of ₹6 lakh. Consequently, the woman, Banne Laxmamma from Ayyapalle village in Lingala mandal of Nagarkurnool district, approached the Lokayukta in 2020.
The petition before the Lokayukta has been pending since then. Recently, the woman approached the High Court to direct the Lokayukta to issue directions regarding her application.
The court observed that such issues are not within the purview of the Lokayukta and questioned the government counsels for the revenue department and others about the delay in the payment of ex gratia.
The Special Government Counsel submitted to the court that suitable action on the payment of ex gratia will be taken by the government and that the action taken will be informed to the court by July 30.
