The Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered a dish/cable TV operator/ supplier of Haralahalli village, H M Manjunath of Honnalli Taluk, Davangere, and The Superintending Engineer (ELE) BESCOM, Davangere and the Executive Engineer, BESCOM, Harihara, and the Asst Executive Engineer (ELE), Honalli town, to pay up Rs two lakh to a man whose son died due to their negligence.

Dhananjaya, the son of H M Manjunath, (the complainant) was trying to fix a cable wire to their television when he got an electric shock and died on the way to the hospital.

His father filed a complaint with the district consumer forum Davangere against the cable operator and the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM).

He alleged since that the cable wire was drawn along with the electric wire, it came in contact with the cable wire. As a result, the current passed through the cable wire which took away Manjunath’s son’s life.

Evidence

He also provided evidence to show that the cable wire was drawn on the electricity pole along with the electric wire.
The district consumer forum, Davangere ruled through the evidence that BESCOM had allowed the cable operator to draw the cable wire through the electric pole along with the electric wire illegally.

It ruled that BESCOM being an ‘Authority’ was required to provide safety measures to consumers and should not have allowed this illegal act. It ordered both of them to pay up Rs two lakhs as compensation to H M Manjunath.

Appeal dismissed

BESCOM and the cable operator went in appeal against this order to the Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

But Commission President Justice Chandrashekaraiah dismissed their appeals and ordered both parties to pay up the amount due.