The compensation package, elaborated in a circular pasted at the company's various labour camps across Dubai, promised the following conditions to the next-of-kin of the deceased:

"Twenty-four-month salary as per terms of condition under industrial accident insurance; suitable employment to one family member; return air ticket to any close relative to the deceased's hometown and all the transportation costs of the body to be borne by the company."

Ali M., a worker from the Sonepur labour camp, where many of the victims reside, said that the monetary amount offered to the families was paltry as compared to their loss, as the workers' monthly salary was very low and when added over a period of two years, the amount would be quite inconsequential.

"We were quite surprised to see that the family would be receiving only Dh17,000 as the final sum of compensation. The amount is very nominal as compared to the enormous loss suffered by the family members," he said.

The younger brother of Prem Sagar, a 46-year-old employee of the company hailing from Punjab, who died in the accident told Khaleej Times that all the money in the world could not bring his elder brother back and all he wanted was to take the body back for the last rites.

"On the day of the accident I was called by the company to identify the body and was hoping against hope that it wouldn't be him," said Baldev.

"When I looked at his face, I just broke down. The money offered by the company is nothing compared to the loss our family has suffered as he was the eldest amongst us. Nobody can feel what I'm feeling right now as I haven't even told my family about the accident yet," he said sadly.

Prem, who leaves behind four children — three girls and a boy — had joined the company only a few days back and was looking forward to meeting his family during his annual break.

Baldev, who works in an Abu Dhabi firm said that the company had not given him any information as to when the body could be taken back to India and did not even provide him with any kind of food or accommodation during this period.

"I am staying with a friend of mine in Sonepur and have no extra money for food or housing. The company has not even bothered to provide me with the accommodation or transportation expense and I have had to bear all these costs myself," he complained.

Another relative said that no amount of money could compensate the life of a human being, when told of the company’s compensatory package.

“Ask the parents who have lost their child. I am just a far distant relative,” said Mohammed Pervez, the relative of 18-year-old Mohammed Amjad.

He broke his silence about the death of his cousin when he spoke to Khaleej Times on Tuesday.

Pervez also said that when Amjad was being hired in Pakistan, he was promised a salary of Dh900 but upon joining Al Naboodah Laing, he was being paid an amount of just Dh738.

“Even if the company pays the salary for 24 months, it will be peanuts compared to the loss of a life,” he said. “The company should realise that it is an accident due to a fault of theirs and not that because Amjad was walking on the road and some boulder fell on him by mistake,” said a furious Pervez.

Pervez was also unsure whether the employee was insured or not. “If he is insured, being a Muslim, he should get an amount of Dh170,000. The company is silent on this issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, Qaseem Ahmed, a relative of Abdul Hameed, another Pakistani who died in the accident, said that his uncle had been working for the company for 38 days only.

“My uncle was 38-year-old and he was the father of seven children,” said Qaseem who belongs to Abottabad in Pakistan’s northern area.

Hameed also said that the family of the dead man already knew the details of the accident and there was utter chaos in the household.

“We wish we could process the papers as early as possible because the family is awaiting the dead body eagerly,” he said.

Hameed was unaware of the salary that his uncle was drawing and did not also know whether he was insured or not. “It would be great of the company if they give any compensation to the dead man’s family as it would help them a lot,” he said.

Compensation package

DUBAI — Al Naboodah Laing ‘O’ Rourke has announced a compensation package as a mark of their commitment to the next of kin of those killed in the mishap when a steel mesh wall collapsed at a construction site on Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, killing eight workers.

The package offered included 24 months salary as compensation as per the terms under the industrial accident insurance, suitable employment to one family member of the deceased, and a return ticket to any close relative to the hometown.

The company has also promised to bear all costs on the transportation of the bodies of those killed in the accident. For those workers who were injured, Al Naboodah Laing ‘O’ Rourke has offered to bear all medical expenses until such time the injured workers were in a position to rejoin duty.

The reaction of colleagues at the Al Quoz labour camp where the compensation offer notice had been pinned has been mixed, with some being upset over the amount offered.