MADURAI
Continuing its hearing on a batch of public interest litigations on relief work in Cyclone Gaja-affected areas, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Monday asked the State government to consider filing consolidated first information reports to ease the process of applying for insurance claims.
In response to the point highlighted by advocate A. Rajini, appearing for one of the petitioners, that fishermen who lost their boats were being asked to submit FIR copies by insurance companies, a Division Bench of Justices K. K. Sasidharan and P. D. Audikesavalu observed that it would be a tedious process as hundreds of FIRs had to be registered.
The judges said Collectors of the affected districts, who would have data of the loss incurred by fishermen, should consider the possibility of sharing this information with Station House Officers of jurisdictional police stations so that consolidated FIRs could be filed at the station-level.
On another petition that sought to ensure that farmers who lost coconut trees were given adequate compensation, the Division Bench asked the State government to consider constituting an expert committee to ascertain the quantum of compensation. It also asked the government to expedite disbursal of compensation and other relief work in the cyclone-affected region. The cases were adjourned for further hearing till January 22.