A section of traders in Haryana, who suffered financial losses during the Jat quota agitation, today termed the interim compensation package released by the state government as "insufficient" and demanded higher damages.
"The initial relief being given by the state government was insufficient for affected shop owners and traders. If the state government did not release sufficient amount of relief, then there will be a strong resentment against it," District president of Haryana Pradesh Beopar Mandal (Rohtak) Gulshan Dang said.
Traders claimed that the government was providing compensation of 25 per cent (if the loss is less than Rs 5 lakh), Rs 2 lakh (if loss between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, Rs 5 lakh (if loss between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore) and Rs 10 lakh (if loss is between Rs 1 crore and Rs 10 crore).
"Out of total financial loss of Rs 10.25 crore, I have been paid just Rs 10 lakh by state government through RTGS so far which is not even sufficient to clean the area where the damage took place," Suresh Sharma, owner of one of Rohtak's famous mall said.
Though Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has assured him to fully compensate for loss, Sharma sought higher amount of compensation which could enable to him rebuild his venture and pay off its debt.
"I told CM that our properties were completely destroyed during Jat agitation and we cannot stand without government support," he said.
"If we did not get support from the government, then only suicide will be left as last option with us," Sharma rued.
Sharma said that protestors had burnt down RN Mall which was built one and half year ago. The mall had cinemas, gym, shops including McDonald's outlet, he said adding that the estimated loss in the mall was Rs 7 crore.
Besides, he suffered a financial loss of over Rs 3 crore after a mob damaged his RN Engineering college located at Gohana road.
Traders had put the number of damaged shops and commercial establishments at more than 600 with estimated loss of Rs 1,000 crore alone in Rohtak- one of the worst-affected districts in the state.
Notably, Haryana government has so far released an interim assistance of over Rs 20 crore (Rs 20,04,75,291) to 1,537 people whose properties were damaged in the recent Jat quota agitation in the state.
Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government had announced that those who suffered property loss during Jat stir could claim up to 25 per cent as interim relief immediately on the basis of self-assessment of damage.
