Date:07/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010760240500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Petition seeks higher compensation for boy

Special Correspondent

He was injured in accident caused
by ONGC pumping machine

CHENNAI: Justice K.Suguna of the Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered notice on a writ petition filed by a casual labourer seeking compensation for injuries suffered by his son in an accident caused by a pumping machine.

The court ordered that the notice was returnable by January 12.

In his petition, filed by counsel P.Vijendran, the petitioner, D.Narayanasamy of Koodur in Tiruvarur district, submitted that his son N.Jayaprakash, was studying in Standard XII in the Government Higher Secondary School, Pulivalam.

During an NSS programme last month at Perungadi village, near Pulivalam, Jayaprakash went to answer nature’s call near an unprotected and unmanned pumping machine, owned by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, and met with an accident.

He sustained severe injuries below the hip.

The NSS officer and others admitted him to a hospital at Tiruvarur. After first aid, he was referred to another hospital at Thanjavur.

Mr.Narayanasamy said he had already spent more than Rs.1.2 lakh on treatment.

The ONGC gave him Rs.50,000, which was immediately paid to the hospital, which had informed him that the expenditure would be more.

The petitioner said his son was a meritorious student. He expected him to score more marks in the higher secondary examination.

He sought interim direction to the respondents, particularly the company, to pay him Rs.2 lakh to save his son’s life, pending disposal of the writ petition.

He prayed for a direction to the respondents – Tiruvarur District Collector, District Educational Officer, Headmaster of the school and The Asset Manager, ONGC Niravi, Karaikal – to pay Rs.10 lakh as compensation.