Rejecting the State Government’s contention for nonpayment of compensation to the next of the kin of a deceased, who died of electrocution in Bhadark district, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Chief Secretary to submit compliance of payment of compensation Rs1 lakh within six weeks positively.
Acting on a petition filed by rights campaigner Subash Mohapatra, the apex rights panel found the State guilty and rejected the State’s contention.
“The reply furnished by the Executive Engineer, BSED, Bhadrak is unacceptable,” the NHRC observed in its report.
“The commission after relying on the enquiry report submitted by the Additional Secretary to the Government has categorically held that there was negligence on the part of the concerned Electrical Section which should have verified the snapped line and taken precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident but they have failed to do the same,” the NHRC observed.
However, the Chief Engineer-cum-Chief Electrical Inspector reported that the victim is supposed to receive some financial compensation.
Notably, on October 22, 2013, one Jayanti Nath, a resident of Badamanhisagatho in Banta block in Bhadrak district, died of electrocution after she came in contact with hanging live electric wire.