The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to pay Rs. 10 lakh as compensation to the family of a 27-year-old man, who died of electrocution while attempting to save cattle near his house in Mangadu in 2010.
Justice M.S. Ramesh, while allowing a plea moved by R. Kumar, father of the deceased K. Victor, said, “The TNEB, who are liable for negligence and lack of maintenance of the live wire, which caused the death of the petitioner's son, are directed to pay a sum of Rs. 10 lakh to the legal heirs of the deceased Victor within eight weeks.”
According to the petitioner, on September 27, 2010, at about 5 p.m., Victor, his eldest son, a plumber by profession, came into contact with a live wire that had snapped and fallen down in a vacant plot opposite his house.
Alleging negligence on the part of the TNEB, Victor’s father approached the high court seeking a compensation of Rs. 15 lakh.
Electric line snapped
When the plea came up for hearing, the counsel for TNEB submitted that the electric line had snapped due to the heavy wind and rain on the day. He contended that the incident amounts to an ‘Act of God’, which is not under the control of the TNEB and hence, the Board could not be held liable for negligence. Refusing to concur with the arguments, the judge said that proper precaution must be taken by the Board during the installation of live wires. The wires had to be of utmost durability and with the capability to withstand calamities.
Rigorous periodical inspection had to be conducted at such locations to avoid any untoward incident.
Not taking such precautions would amount to negligence on the part of the authorities, the judge said.
The judge added that in the present case, the live wire had snapped either due to the electric pole being poorly installed or lack of proper and periodical maintenance. The authorities did not seem to have taken any precautions to cut the power supply when heavy rain and wind were anticipated, he noted.
The 27-year-old victim came into contact with a live wire near his house in Mangadu in 2010
