Death due to electrocution: HC orders Rs 4 lakh compensation

Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu Electricity department to pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the family of a man who was electrocuted in Salem district in August 2002.
Passing his orders on a petition by the deceased's wife, Justice K Ravichandrababu ruled that the live wire was hanging at a level lower than the specified height and asked the electricity department to pay the compensation within six weeks.
Elumalai of Jalakanteswarapuram was electrocuted after he came into contact with a 110KVA live wire in Mettur of Salem district.
Elumalai's wife Pappa claimed a compensation of Rs 5 lakh on the grounds that the wire was hanging at a height of 5ft whereas the norm was for it to be at an elevation of 20ft.

The electricity department had contended that the owner of the land was responsible for the incident as he had raised the height of the land by 5ft.
Elumalai was holding a 3ft tall corncob which had come into contact with the live wire, resulting in him getting electrocuted.
Going through the rules, the court found that a 110KVA wire should normally be at a height of 20ft but was required to be raised by a further 3ft when passing along road sides.
The judge said that even as per the submission of the electricity department, there should have been a gap of at least 12ft after taking into account the average height of a man (about 5-6ft), the elevation of the land and the length of the corncob.