The First Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday ordered the State government to increase the compensation to the families of the two girls electrocuted in Kodungaiyur on November 1 to ₹10 lakh each. Bhavana and Yuvashri, both aged eight, had stepped on a power cable that was submerged in stagnant rainwater. The Chief Minister and the Electricity Board announced solatia of ₹3 lakh and ₹2 lakh each respectively; only the latter has been disbursed.
“Keeping live wires open smacks of criminal negligence. The respondent shall ensure that all naked wires in the city are sealed and that adequate steps are taken to ensure that such incidents do not take place in the future,” said the court.
The Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar said the State government should increase its total compensation by ₹five lakh each and disburse the amount before November 10.
ADVERTISEMENT
The order came after the government submitted a report on the deaths.