Chennai: Stung by electrocution of two young girls after they stepped on a power cable submerged under stagnant rain water in north Chennai, Electricity Minister P Thangamani on Wednesday suspended eight officials of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), including the Executive Engineer of the zone, for the lapse.
Thangamani, who held a high-level meeting on Wednesday evening after the incident created a major uproar in Chennai, also announced that TNEB would provide a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased - Bhavana and Yuvashri - both eight years old.
The girls, who reside in F Block of RR Nagar in Kodungaiyur in north Chennai, stepped on the cable while they were playing in the area as schools were closed on Wednesday due to heavy rains in the city.
Thangamani said a five-member committee has been formed to check the preparedness of the TNEB in preventing such incidents in low-lying areas and places considered risky.
He said the committee will function through the rainy season and will conduct spot inspections among other things. “It is an unfortunate incident. Officials are looking into how it took place despite all precautionary measures and they have also removed the cable. All efforts are being made to check whether there are any more such cables in the area,” Thangamani said.
He said eight TNEB officials, including the Executive Engineer, Deputy Executive Engineer and Assistant Engineer of the area who are in-charge of operations, have been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty and lapses.
“A detailed inquiry will be held to go into the causes of the incident,” Thangamani said, responding to queries from journalists. The incident came a day after Thangamani said all precautionary measures have been taken by the TNEB to prevent any untoward incident during the monsoon rains. On Wednesday, as journalists bombarded him with questions about the “preparedness” of the department in tackling the rains, Thangamani took pain to answer them.
“TNEB will provide Rs 2 lakh compensation to each of the family of the deceased. I am sure the Chief Minister will also provide compensation from the Relief Fund,” he said. Thangamani said he was personally monitoring the situation and claimed that the TNEB was prepared for any eventuality. Later, the Minister also paid respects to the deceased at Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital here.
