CHENNAI:A 30-year-old conservancy worker, the sole breadwinner of her family, died of electrocution after she accidentally stepped on a damaged electric cable at Kannagi Nagar around 4.30am on Saturday.
The deceased, R Varalakshmi, had stepped out of her home for work when she stepped on the power line submerged in stagnant rainwater. Residents allege that they have raised concerns about damaged and snapped electric cables for the past few months and have submitted several complaints in the last few weeks to the electricity department, but to no avail.
Varalakshmi lived in the TNUHDB tenements in Kannagi Nagar and had been working in the Adyar zone under Urbaser Sumeet (the contracting firm which handles the solid waste management in South Chennai for the Chennai Corporation) since 2022.
Her husband, Ravi, who suffers from chronic psoriasis, has been unable to take up his painting jobs due to his condition. Her two children - Yuvasri (11) and Manish (8) - study in a private school.
Based on a complaint lodged by her husband, police registered a case against Assistant Engineer Surendar of the Electricity Department under Section 106 of the BNS Act (causing death by negligence).
Speaking to reporters, Ravi said, "I have been suffering from psoriasis for 15 years, even since our marriage, and it was my wife who cared for me and our children. With her gone, I don't know how I will manage my health and educate my kids. After being bedridden for several months, I just resumed work a week ago, but I may relapse anytime. I wish it were me who had died," he said.
Following the incident, residents of Kannagi Nagar staged a brief road roko, accusing the state government of negligence. Protesters alleged that the snapped cable was not looked into despite repeated complaints - the latest being on August 19, through phone.
Gayathri D, a 22-year-old resident and neighbour, said, "This could've been a mass tragedy if it happened at 7am, as children go to school and more people will be out on roads. Even if we complain through the phone, it is the responsibility of the government to act, but we are told to submit written complaints, which is difficult for those who are not literate."
Ward 196 councillor K Ashwini said that she had submitted a petition to the TNPDCL MD on June 23 demanding urgent replacement of 7 km of faulty low-tension cables and installation of additional transformers. She had also raised concern over EB staff allegedly charging residents between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 to replace damaged cables and ignoring night-time calls. She noted that some cables get damaged during the construction of stormwater drainage or underground drainage. Even though the contractors are willing to purchase new cables, the electricity department ignores appeals for repair, she said.
Though emergency repair work was carried out from 5 am to 3 pm on Saturday, other faulty cables in the area remain in disrepair, Ashwini told TNIE.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian visited the family and handed over Rs 20 lakh, which includes Rs 10 lakh as a compensation from TNPDCL and Rs 3 lakh as a compensation from Urbaser Sumeet, along with other employee benefits.
The state will bear Ravi’s medical expenses, and Urbaser has agreed to provide him with a supervisory job in sanitation work, Ma Subramanian said in a press meet.
He assured that a joint meeting would be held involving J Radhakrishnan IAS, TNPDCL official, Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner, TNUHDB officials, and other stakeholders to ensure better coordination and address all electric cable issues.
The DMK party, through its Chennai South unit and Sholinganallur MLA, announced that all educational expenses of the children will be borne by the party and that the funeral costs will be handled by MLA S Aravind Ramesh.
GCC Mayor R Priya, Deputy Mayor M Magesh Kumaar, and Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran visited the victim’s residence, paid floral tributes to the victim's body, and expressed their condolences to the family.
(With inputs from Rajalakshmi Sampath)