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The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
HC directs TNEB Dindigul to pay ₹10 lakh compensation to woman whose husband and son were electrocuted in Kodaikanal
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Dindigul, to pay compensation of ₹10 lakh to a woman whose husband and son were electrocuted in 2018 in Kodaikanal, around 10 days after Cyclone Gaja. The court was hearing a petition filed in 2022 by Subulakshmi, who was a resident of Pethuparai village in Kodaikanal in Dindigul district. Her husband Ravi and their only son Raja Pandi were into farming, she said. In December 2018 at around 7 a.m., her son Raja Pandi had gone to hang his wet towel on a clothesline. The clothesline had come in contact with a live wire. He was electrocuted. On seeing this, Ravi attempted to save his son. He was also electrocuted. The petitioner said that due to Cyclone Gaja there was no electricity supply for over 10 days. Without checking whether the lines were safe and proper, the Electricity Board had restored the connection, which resulted in the death of her husband and son. The Kodaikanal police had registered a case. In 2019, she filed a petition seeking compensation from the State. The court closed the petition taking into account that ₹ 2 lakh ex-gratia amount was released in 2021. The petitioner filed the present petition seeking compensation from TNEB, Dindigul. She said that the Electricity Board was responsible for the death of her husband and son. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan observed that Tangedco had evolved a scheme for the payment of compensation to the family of electrocution victims. Under the scheme, a sum of ₹5 lakh was paid to the family. Applying the compensation scheme to the facts of the case, TNEB, Dindigul, shall pay the petitioner ₹5 lakh for the death Ravi and ₹5 lakh for the death of Raja Pandi, the court directed and closed the petition.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Woman seeks compensation for husband's death
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday sought response of the State government and the Southern Railway to a petition filed by a woman from Sivaganga district who sought appropriate compensation for the death of her husband. Justice L. Victoria Gowri, who was hearing the petition filed by B. Pathampriyal of Ilayangudi North, sought a counter affidavit from the authorities. The petitioner, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, said her husband Balu was engaged in construction work and was cleaning a septic tank, along with his friend Muniyaswamy, also from Ilayangudi North, at a newly constructed railway building in Rameswaram. The petitioner alleged that they were not provided with safety equipment while cleaning the septic tank. On November 16, 2024, her husband and his friend left for work as usual. Around 2 p.m. on that day, she received a phone call from Muniyaswamy who told her that when he and her husband were cleaning the septic tank, her husband fell unconscious and was taken to Rameswaram Government Hospital. The doctors declared him brought dead. The petitioner said she immediately rushed to the hospital and, subsequently, lodged a complaint with Rameswaram police. Though an FIR was registered, there was no progress in the case. She said the death of her husband was due to the carelessness of railway authorities, who had forced the workers to clean the septic tank without safety equipment. The petitioner sought a direction to the State and the Southern Railway to provide appropriate compensation to her family as per the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, and take appropriate action against the officials who were responsible for the death of her husband. The court posted the matter for hearing to June 3.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NCSC panel issues notice over delay in paying aid to caste-atrocity victims in Tamil Nadu
MADURAI: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued notice to the director of Adi Dravidar Welfare Department T Anand for delaying compensation to the families of several victims of caste atrocities across the state. Sources said the compensation has been delayed allegedly because cases are pending before the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court. Speaking to TNIE, Dalit Liberation Movement (DLM) state secretary C Karuppiah said, 'There is a delay in releasing the second instalment of compensation to several families. Around 18 families filed a writ petition in the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC in 2017 but the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department delayed filing a reply. On February 7, 2024, an affidavit was filed by the director of the Adi Dravidar Welfare department stating the delay was due to cases pending in the court. The SC/ST Act clearly mentions that first instalment of compensation (20-25%) should be offered after FIR is filed. The second Instalment (25-30%) should be given after chargesheet/ postmortem, and the rest should be given after conviction.' NCSC director Dr S Ravivarman said, 'We don't know why the top official from the department filed such an affidavit. There could be several reasons. But such an affidavit cannot be taken lightly. So, a show cause notice was sent under Sec 4 of SC/ST Act against the director.'
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
HC refuses to interfere with punishment imposed on retired TNCSC official
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has refused to interfere with the punishment imposed by the disciplinary authority on the then Regional Manager of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) of Ramanathapuram region. The court was hearing a petition filed in 2018 by P. Soundarapandi, who retired as Regional Manager, TNCSC, in 2017. When he was working as Regional Manager of Ramanathapuram region, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him. The petitioner was handed a punishment of censure. The suspension period was treated as leave on loss of pay. The appeal against the punishment was rejected. Challenging it, the current petition was filed. Justice B. Pugalendhi observed that the petitioner was issued with a charge memo that bricks and clay were mixed with paddy in four procurement centres. As a supervisory authority he failed to monitor and a fraud was committed. The paddy was procured by both the Central and the State governments to provide food grains to the needy at a subsidised rate under the public distribution system. The governments were spending huge amounts for the scheme. The governments had also issued various guidelines in ensuring the quality of paddy procured through the centres, the court observed. The petitioner could not take advantage of the fact that being the Regional Manager he was not responsible for any irregularities committed in the procurement centres. The irregularities were grave in nature which did not occur in one centre but in four centres, the court observed. The higher level and supervisory officers were appointed in order to ensure that their subordinates functioned in a proper manner. The court was not inclined to accept the contention of the petitioner that as a Regional Manager, he was not responsible for the fraud committed in the procurement centres. Since the petitioner was imposed with censure, as per Chapter V of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Limited Employees Service Regulations, he was entitled for the relief of treating the suspension period as leave period, the court observed.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
High Court finds something wrong with Tasmac
Taking into account that complaints regarding a District Manager and a Supervisor of Tasmac allegedly collecting bribes from its outlets in Madurai district had not been addressed properly, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court observed that there was something wrong with the Corporation. The court was hearing the petitions filed in 2022 by K. Mayakannan, S. Murugan and V. Ramasamy, who were salesmen in Tasmac shops. The case of the petitioners was that the then District Manager of Tasmac, Madurai South, Rajeswari, colluded with the then Supervisor of Tasmac, Tirumangalam, Selvam, and collected bribes every month from the shops under her control. There were also other allegations against Rajeswari. The petitioners lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, which was forwarded to Tasmac authorities. An inquiry was ordered. The petitioners also submitted their representations. Since, the grievances of the petitioners were not addressed, they gave an interview to the media. They were suspended by the management on the grounds that their conduct was against the Employees Code of Conduct circular. Challenging the order, the petitions were filed. Justice B. Pugalendhi observed that the petitioners lodged a complaint, along with the recording of a conversation between Rajeswari and Selvam. The authorities conducted an inquiry and closed it stating that the corruption charges were without any materials and that the alleged conversation in the phone was denied by Supervisor Selvam. The person against whom allegations were made was transferred to the parent department and it was reported that she had retired from service. However, the petitioners' complaint had been closed by recording the statement of Selvam that he was not part of the conversation. The available materials showed that there was something wrong in the government-run Corporation. The governemnt should not allow corruption in its funstioning. The corporation had to realise its mistake, the court observed. Considering the manner in which the issue was handled, the court set aside the suspension orders with liberty to the Corporation to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the petitioners for violating the circular.
