Chinese dairies to compensate tainted milk victims' families

State media on Tuesday reported dairies whose tainted milk products killed at least six children and sickened nearly 300,000 others will likely pay 1.1 billion yuan ($160 million) in compensation to victims' families.

Details of the compensation plan came shortly after trials began for 17 people on charges related to the production and sale of melamine, an industrial chemical added to milk to falsely boost protein readings in quality tests.

According to the China Daily, the 22 companies blamed in the scandal will make a one-time 900 million yuan ($131 million) cash payment to victims.

The remaining 200 million yuan ($29 million) would cover bills for lingering health problems, the paper said, citing an unnamed source from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission.

Children who suffered kidney stones would get 2,000 yuan ($290), while sicker children would be paid 30,000 yuan ($4,380) and families of those who died would each receive 200,000 yuan ($29,000), China Daily said.

Beijing attorney Xu Zhiyong, part of a legal team representing 63 families, said parents who had received copies of the compensation agreement considered the offer of 2,000 yuan to be woefully inadequate.

"I advised them not to sign it for the time being, as we would demand trials of those 22 dairy companies," Xu told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Xu called the government offer a "step in the right direction," but said parents felt their concerns had been ignored.

"The compensation is too low and no victims were involved in the decision making process, which are the main reasons for their anger," said Xu, whose attempts to sue the companies involved have so far been rejected by the courts.

At least six babies died and 294,000 other children suffered kidney and urinary problems from drinking the baby formula made from the contaminated milk.

The compensation plan - which was originally announced Saturday - and the trials of those blamed for the contamination appear to signal that authorities hope to end what was widely seen as a national disgrace highlighting widespread problems with food safety and corporate and governmental malfeasance.

1|2|Next Page>>

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email