The Delhi High Court today agreed to hear a plea seeking direction to authorities concerned to comply with necessary safety standards while installing electricity poles so that no death is caused.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath fixed August 12 for hearing of the plea, which alleged that there is a serious threat to lives of residents of Delhi due to "callous attitude of the authorities concerned".
The court was hearing a plea filed by NGO Common Cause, which said the petition seeks to safeguard the right to life guaranteed under the Constitution.
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"The petition prays for making the public bodies and agencies concerned accountable for their failure in taking adequate precaution to prevent loss of life occasioned by an utter disregard of basic safety measures in the distribution of electricity in the national capital Territory of Delhi," the plea filed by advocate Meera Bhatia said.
Seeking direction that the "existing poles pose a hazard to human and animal life be repaired", the plea also said that "responsibility should be fixed on the officers concerned for the electrocution deaths caused due to negligence".
"The safety of human being is of paramount importance... Not only human beings but animals like monkeys and dogs also get electrocuted when they get entangled in the live wires, especially during monsoon. This shows that electrocution is a big menace even in the capital of India," the petition said.
Seeking directions against the Delhi government's power company and three discoms, the NGO said in the plea that they have not complied with the "prescribed safety standards" due to which not only the public, but in several other cases, the employees of municipal bodies and electricity companies have also been electrocuted due to negligence.
