Hyderabad: The Telangana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (TGCDRC) has upheld an order passed by the Karimnagar District Consumer Commission holding the Telangana Northern Power Distribution Company (TGNPDCL) guilty for the electrocuted death of a 25-year old man in 2011.
The state commission in-charge president, Meena Ramanathan dismissed the appeal filed by TGNPDCL and ordered it to pay Rs 5,76,000 with six per cent interest from the date of the complaint (in May 9, 2012), along with Rs 5,000 in costs to the deceased’s father.
The state commission found the power company’s negligence in maintaining its electrical infrastructure, particularly a support wire that electrocuted Nalavula Shankar in March 2011, in Upparapalli village, Karimnagar District.
Though the Karimnagar District Consumer Commission ordered the power utility to pay a fine, the power company challenged the order arguing that the deceased was responsible for his own death as he climbed an electric pole. However, the state commission rejected this argument due to the lack of evidence to support the power company’s claims.
The complaint was initially lodged by Naluvala Mallaiah and his wife, Naluvala Laxmi, the parents of the deceased, alleging that their son was electrocuted due to the company’s negligence. The deceased got electrocuted when he came in contact with a faulty support wire while washing his hands at a tap near an electric pole. He died while he was being shifted to a hospital in an ambulance. The police investigation initially claimed the death as an accident, but the state commission held the power company liable for its deficient services.
