IESCO penalised for negligence

NEPRA orders it to bear medical expenses of minor girl whose hands were burnt in power-related mishap

ISLAMABAD:

 

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Tuesday announced that the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) would bear all the medical expenses of a minor girl who suffered burn injuries when she was exposed to a power-related mishap in a locality of Hassan Abdal.

In August last year, both the hands of an eight-year-old girl were burnt because of the flames falling from high-voltage wires in a Hassan Abdal neighbourhood.

Her parents had submitted a complaint to the power regulator about the incident.

According to a Nepra spokesperson, the power regulator has ordered IESCO to bear the cost of an artificial hand for the girl and also provide her with a reasonable monthly stipend.

The high-voltage wires were touching the house of the affected girl. Despite repeated complaints by the girl’s family, IESCO took no action to address this problem.

After the parents submitted the complaint to Nepra following the tragic accident, the power regulator formed a two-member team to investigate into the matter. The team then presented its report to the power regulator.

Nepra has issued the directives to IESCO in light of the findings of the team.

It has also ordered the power company to present a report within 14 days in connection with the implementation of the relevant directives.

The spokesperson said the authority had also initiated legal action against the power company by issuing it a show-cause notice.