Bescom fails to pay for 1-year-old fire mishap

BANGALORE: It has been more than an year since a city dweller’s house was gutted because of BESCOM’s fault but the utility has not paid the compensation yet. The two-storey house of Wing Commander G B Athri (Retd), near Hulimavu on Bannerghatta Road, was gutted on April 7, 2010. Deputy Electrical Inspector and BESCOM Assistant Executive Engineer (Electrical) had mentioned in their reports that the house caught fire because of cross-connection of high-tension and lowtension lines, thereby causing a voltage surge in the area.Energy sector advocate Shridar Prabhu told Express that since 2004, BESCOM has opted insurance cover for its consumers. He said in this case, compensation should have been paid to Athri within 90 days of the Electrical Inspector’s report because there was no dispute over cause of the fire accident, which is BESCOM’s faulty wiring. Athri has taken his case to Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) now.The rules and provisions notwithstanding, Athri is still waiting for compensation.“Morning, when we left we had a home. But later by evening, we were homeless for the next three months,” he told Express.He added that they stayed at friends’ homes while their house was being repaired.He said everything in the house had to be repaired and he had to take loan and borrow money to meet the expenses.BESCOM Managing Director P Manivannan told Express there was no delay on part of the utility in paying compensation. He said as per law, KERC had to direct BESCOM to pay the compensation. He said the BESCOM would do the needful when KERC instructs it.KERC has accepted Athri’s petition and will hear the case on June 30. Meanwhile, Prabhu, who has taken up Athri’s case, has asked KERC to treat this case as a precedence for all similar cases in future.