Power Department asked to compensate
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 05 2012:
The Imphal bench of the Gauhati High Court, has directed the State Electricity Department to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation for negligence to the family of a woman, who was electrocuted at Heirok village in Thoubal district after a live wire fell on her head in April 2009 .
In his verdict passed a few days back, Justice N Kotishwar Singh maintained that there was negligence on the part of the Electricity Department in maintaining the hazardous low tension wire which was also responsible for the snapping of the wire resulting in the death of the woman.
Advocate N Biren, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner Moirangthem Omor Singh (63), husband of the deceased woman of Heirok part II village, contended that similar cases of electrocution had taken place earlier in the area.
This had prompted the Deputy Commissioner (Thoubal) to warn the Engineer concerned of the Power Department to take necessary steps to ensure non-recurrence of such accidents in future, the lawyer said.
Since the petitioner has claimed that he had not received the ex-gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh sanctioned by the State Government in 2010, the Court maintained that respondents � Commissioner, Chief Engineer and Executive Engineer (Thoubal divison) of the Power Department are expected to pay the amount 'as expeditiously as possible' .
The total amount may be deposited to the Registry of the Court within four months failing which the respondents would be liable to pay simple interest at the rate of six percent per annum, ruled the Court.
It said the amount would be equally apportioned amongst the five dependents ( the petitioner and his four children) .
Though the verdict was passed on March 21, its copies were made available to the parties concerned today, Biren said.