Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a show cause notice to the state chief secretary questioning him as to why compensation should not be awarded in favour of the relatives of the person who died due to electrocution, March 24, 2018. The commission, while hearing a plea filed by human rights activist Dillip Kumar Das, has asked the state government to submit the reply within 6 weeks from the receipt of the order of the NHRC.
The victim, identified as Saroj Bag, was a resident of Badadunguriguada village in Karlamunda tehsil of Kalahandi district. Bag, a mason, accidentally came into contact with 11 KV live electricity wire while engaged in the construction work of a house sanctioned in the name of one Yuvraj Bag of the same village under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
The commission also refuted the argument of the additional secretary of the state Energy Department that claimed that the construction activities were unauthorized and illegal as the house owner was constructing the house under the existing live line without intimating the same to WESCO authorities. According to the additional secretary, the victim, Saroj who was working for the construction of the same came in contact with the 11 KV live wire while being on the rooftop and so he is not eligible to get any compensation.
However, the commission rejected the Energy Department’s plea citing an important judgment of Supreme Court (H.S.E.B. & Others v/s Ram Nath & Others, 2004) in this regard. The commission asserted that it was the duty of the electricity supply board to check construction of any unauthorized building and get that demolished too.
The NHRC concluded, “This act of negligence on the part of the Electricity Department has violated the right to life of the victim for which the State Government is liable.”