The Mysuru District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) to pay a compensation of Rs. 3.86 lakh to a farmer whose sugarcane crop was burnt in a fire caused by overhead electricity cables in Periyapatna. CESC was also directed to pay Rs. 3,000 towards mental agony and deficiency in service and Rs. 2,000 towards costs.

According to Gowramma, the farmer who moved the Consumer Forum, her sugarcane crop grown on 2 acres 33 guntas of land in Gangegowdana Koppal near Periyapatna was destroyed along with oak, coconut and areca-nut trees due to sparks flying from overhead power lines. The fire incident occurred in March 2015 and Gowramma had demanded a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh.

The CESC, however, paid her only Rs. 22,474 forcing her to approach the Consumer Forum. In response to Gowramma’s petition, CESC said that Gowramma had planted a number of oak trees beneath the low-tension (LT) electricity cables passing through her land. The trees had been planted after the CESC gave the farmer electricity connection and the fire accident would not have occurred had they been trimmed periodically.

After the fire, an electrical inspector who had visited the spot said there was no sag in the electrical lines and they were maintained well. He submitted a report and said that the incident may have occurred due to heavy wind. Relying on his statement, CESC argued before the Forum that the incident was an “act of God” and it cannot be held responsible for the fire accident. CESC also claimed that though it was not responsible for the incident, a compensation of Rs. 22,474 was paid on humanitarian grounds. Gowramma assessed the crop loss and the trees to be Rs. 4.23 lakh and told the Forum that the electrical inspector who conducted the survey had reported the cause of fire to be the result of a spark due to a short circuit from the electricity cables.

After collecting information from the authorities and assessing the value of the loss suffered at Rs. 3.86 lakh, the Forum, headed by President H.M. Shivakumara Swamy, has directed the CESC to pay Rs. 3.86 lakh with interest at 12% from December 2015, the date on which Gowramma lodged a complaint with them.