Udupi: Ravindranath Shanbhag, president of Human Rights Protection Foundation (HRPF), said on Tuesday that the family of a construction worker had not got any compensation even after four-and-a-half years of his death at Panjimar near Shirva.

Addressing presspersons here, Dr. Shanbhag said that this had happened though there was a scheme for payment of  2 lakh as relief to the family of the bereaved. It was essential to create public awareness on the assistance available in such cases.

Srikanth (25) from Kanchinadka near Padubidri grew up in poverty. He had to discontinue his primary education when he was 12 as his father died. He worked at hotels in Bengaluru for about a decade to take care of his mother, Appi, and two ailing sisters. He then returned to Kanchinadka and began working as a construction worker on daily wages under a contractor, Keshava Sapaliga. Meanwhile, he got married.

On March 10, 2013, Srikanth had gone to work at a construction site at Panjimari near Shirva. He was severely injured while working when a roof being constructed collapsed on him. He died on the way to hospital. The construction of the building was being done by Mr. Sapaliga. Srikanth’s death has left the family without a bread-winner.

The family with no education and proper guidance sought compensation for Srikanth’s death. They contacted an advocate, who advised them that since the death occurred when Srikanth was on duty at the construction site, they might get compensation from the contractor and also the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. He advised that an application for ex-gratia compensation may be made. The school certificates and the death certificate of Srikanth were made available and necessary applications were filed for relief.

Though years rolled by, nothing happened. Finally, Ms. Appi contacted HRPF, which enquired with the Department of Labour here in August 2017. The enquiry revealed that there was no case against the contractor. Besides, the name of Mr. Sapaliga did not even figure in the list of registered contractors.

In case of any mishap in the construction stage of any building, there was a provision of compensation, ex-gratia of  2 lakh, to the family of the deceased. But for getting this compensation, the concerned contractor has to get himself registered and also register the names of the workers under him with the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

If the names of the contractor and the workers are not registered, such ex-gratia cannot be paid. In this case, neither the contractor nor his workers were registered. The only other relief possible is a payment of ₹ 50,000, also called ex-gratia, to the family of the deceased.