TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After nearly 10 months of the High Court’s order, distribution of compensation to victims of Baina demolition has begun with five out of a total of 900 commercial sex workers receiving a cheque of Rs 1 lakh each under the “Rehabilitation scheme for commercially exploited women and other residential and commercial establishments at Baina” on Wednesday.
As per the scheme, assistance was to be provided to sex workers and to persons whose shops and residences were demolished on June 14, 2004 in Baina.
The former red-light area was bulldozed by the local authorities rendering CSW victims without shelter and livelihood alternative. NGO ARZ then moved the Bombay High Court at Goa seeking relief for the victims.
The Bench passed an order on January 8, 2013 that compensation be provided within six months. But nearly 4000 victims including 900 sex workers were still awaiting monetary relief and rehabilitation package from the Goa government.
On Wednesday, Mormugao SDM Gaurish Shankhwalkar handed over cheques of Rs 1 lakh each to five sex workers. The scheme was notified in 2005 to provide assistance to the affected people due to Baina demolition.
However, most of the sex workers who had also submitted application for the compensation have not received any notice nor called by any authority asking for documents.
The Mormugao Municipality has issued a list of 27 persons who have been identified as those whose shops have been demolished and the verification of documents is presently in process. With regard to those whose residences were demolished, there has been no action by the Goa Rehabilitation Board which under the scheme is supposed to identify persons whose houses were demolished and provide houses. The NGO feels that it is a positive step on the part of the government, as the financial support would provide succor to the women and their children.
“We are hopeful that the government will consider providing financial support to other sex workers who have been left out and will expedite the process to provide relief to those whose shops and houses were demolished,” Director Arun Pandey said.
