Calcutta HC seeks KMC report on city’s drainage, asks CESC about electrocution deaths

The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Apurba Sinha has taken suo motu cognizance of a PIL after at least nine electrocution deaths were reported from the city and its suburbs.

On Tuesday, as the High Court was shut due to rain, two organisations had written to the office of the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, stating that compensation should be provided to the families, alleging that the deaths were due to the “negligence of the state administration”.

According to the organisations, the administration, police, and the power supply company, CESC, “have not learned a lesson” from previous deaths due to electrocution.

Meanwhile, the CESC on Thursday announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to families of those who died in the deluge, two days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked the company to extend financial support to victims of electrocution and other rain-related incidents.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives in our city due to the unprecedented natural calamity. In deference to the chief minister’s wishes, on humanitarian considerations, we have decided to provide Rs 5 lakh as financial assistance to each of the bereaved families,” CESC Managing Director Vineet Sikka said.

The chief minister had earlier described the rain — nearly 251 mm in one night — as “unprecedented,” and had blamed CESC for lapses that led to electrocution deaths in waterlogged neighbourhoods.

“Electricity is supplied by CESC, not us. It is their duty to ensure people do not suffer. They will do business here but not modernise?” she had said.

Banerjee also urged the company to consider offering jobs to families of the deceased, while announcing an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from government funds.

Earlier, CESC had said the deaths were caused by faulty internal wiring, lamp posts, and traffic kiosks not under its control, and said supply was shut in vulnerable areas to prevent further accidents. —With PTI

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