Tamil Nadu government asked to pay Rs 50 thousand to class 5 girl

Chennai: The State Human Rights Commission has directed government to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to a class 5 girl student for sustaining injuries after an electric live wire fell on her last year. The SHRC rejected the contentions of an assistant engineer of Tangedco claiming that the live wire snapped and fell due to an act of God and not due to act of human being.

In the petition, K.V.S.Manikumar of Kallipalayam village in Tiruppur district submitted that his daughter was studying in fifth standard in a government school. As usual she went to the school on July 16, 2018. When she went near the school, a live wire crossing upon the school suddenly fell on his daughter. She suffered electric shock and was injured.

On hearing her scream, a teacher rushed to the spot and saved her. Initially, she was admitted to the Government Hospital, Palladam and later referred to the Government Hospital, Pongalur and as per the advice of the medical officer she was taken to Government Hospital, Tiruppur in an ambulance. She remained in the hospital from July 16 to July 23, 2018. Subsequently, she was sent to Government general hospital, Coimbatore for further management for neurological problem.

He said the incident occurred due to negligence of K.V.Sathyanarayanan, assistant engineer (operations & maintenance),Tangedco,V.Kallipalayam (incharge), Palladam electricity distribution circle, Tiruppur district.

He had miserably failed to maintain the live wire in a proper manner. He sought action against the assistant engineers and others responsible for incident.

However, Sathyanarayanan, assistant engineer, denied the allegations mentioned in the complaint. On July 16, 2018, a damaged electric wire was hanging near the school following heavy storm and rain. After treatment accorded to her in hospital at Pongalur she was stable and there was nothing to worry about her life. The electric wire was damaged due to heavy storm and power supply was automatically disrupted. He claimed the incident took place due to the act of God.

 SHRC judge D. Jayachandran said considering the oral and documentary evidence, this commission holds that student sustained injuries due to the negligence of Sathyanarayanan and not due to storm and rain and act of the God.  If he maintained the live wire in a proper manner as per the Electricity Act, the incident would have been avoided.

 The judge recommended the State Government to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to Manikumar. The Commission recommended the Government to give suitable instructions to the TANGEDCO to be vigilant in the matter of maintenance of electric wire lines and to install suitable device that could automatically disconnect the power if power cable snap and touches the earth, the judge said.