BERHAMPUR: Gunupur Civil Judge (Senior Division) Sumitra Sahu on Tuesday directed authorities of the Tata Power Southern Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPSODL) to pay Rs 50 lakh compensation to a 16-year-old boy of Rayagada district who lost both his legs due to alleged negligence in maintaining a high-voltage power line.
The incident occurred in June 2018 at Gumuda village under Ramanaguda block. At around 10.30 am on June 23, Piyush Patra, then 8-year-old, was standing on the roof of his house when electricity reportedly leaked through water from a nearby 33 KV power line. He suffered severe burn injuries after coming in contact with the current.
Piyush was initially rushed to Gunupur hospital and later shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. As his condition deteriorated, he was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment. Although doctors managed to save his life, both his legs had to be amputated due to the severity of his injuries.
The 16-year-old’s treatment pushed the family into severe financial distress. Family members reportedly sold their belongings and borrowed large sums of money to fund his medical care. He was later fitted with artificial limbs to help him regain mobility.
Seeking justice, Piyush’s mother Sanghamitra Patra filed a civil suit in Gunupur court in 2019 against the then junior engineer, assistant engineer and executive engineer of then power distribution company. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court held the discom responsible for the accident and ordered it to pay the compensation within 60 days.
As per the judgment, Rs 25 lakh will be kept in a fixed deposit in Piyush’s name for his future security as he is a minor now. The remaining `25 lakh will be used for medical expenses and to ease the family’s financial burden.
The case, registered in 2019, was argued on behalf of Piyush by senior advocates Brahmananda Pattnaik, Praveen Pattnaik and Raj Kishore Das.