NURMAHAL:It has been fourteen years and the state government is yet to release the full compensation announced for the next of kin of the four victims of the November 23, 2006 train mishap in Gumtala village.
Four girls were killed when a train on Phillaur- Nurmahal rail section hit their vehicle.
Aashia of class XI, Daljinder Kaur of BA-I and Kiranjit Kaur of BA-III, all residents of Pasla village, were killed on the spot. Rajvir Kaur of Gumtali village succumbed to her injuries on December 14. They were students of PTM Arya College, Nurmahal. The government had announced Rs 5 Lakh each for the deceased's kin and Rs 50, 000 for the families of injured.
The government had handed over Rs 1 Lakh to families of the deceased.
An amount of Rs 20, 000 was given to the kin of the seriously injured victims. The families say they have approached the authorities repeatedly over the past five years, but to no avail.
Locals say that during the assembly and parliamentary
election public meetings. SAD-BJP and Congress leaders had promised that the compensation would be paid immediately.
College managing committee chairperson Om Parkash Kundi said that families are still awaiting full amount of compensation and urged the Chief Minister Captain Amrindar Singh to release the amount.