KARACHI, May 2: A suit has been filed in the Sindh High Court against the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, claiming damages of Rs3.5 million.
The suit has been filed by one Zahoor-ur-Rehman against the electricity company claiming that he got his leg fractured owing to negligence of the KESC as a street-light pole fixed by the agency fell on him.
The plaintiff’s counsel attributed the injuries to his client to the negligence of the KESC as street-light pole in question fell on him owing to lack of adequate care in maintenance, periodical inspection, installation, erection and fabrication/manufacture of the said pole.
The pole was left in a dilapidated condition by the KESC after isolating it with transmission wires as such due to wear and tear and poor maintenance, the foundation of the pole got corroded and constant erosion gradually weakened it which led to its collapse, causing injuries to Mr Zahoor.
The plaintiff has become crippled on account of fracture in tibia and fibula of both the legs and multiple wounds and painful swelling of both the legs which have completely paralysed his physical movement and activities.
In view of traumatic injuries, the plaintiff would not be able to walk in a normal manner with the same strength as he used to do before the accident and he would be compelled to spend most of his time on wheel-chair, he claimed.
The counsel said that the plaintiff had been depending upon others since the incident on account of being confined to bed and he would also continue to remain dependent upon others almost for all practical purposes as he had remained since accident.
There was a possibility that in future the plaintiff would continue to have further medical and surgical treatment, including major operation resulting in heavy expenditure. The plaintiff has been advised by the physicians to go abroad for better treatment but on account of financial paucity he could not proceed.
The plaintiff, has therefore, prayed for a decree in the sum of Rs.3.5 million against the KESC, along with a mark up of 15 per cent from the date of the filing of the suit till the date of realisation of the decretal amount.
The suit has filed through Nasir Masood advocate. The incident occurred on Dec 2, 2001, when the street-light pole erected by the KESC for transmission/distribution of the electric supply in Phase-I, DHA, Karachi, collapsed on the victim, causing injuries to him.
The plaintiff who served as waiter at Spinzer Restaurant in Defence was taking orders from two of his customers on Dec 2, 2001, when all of a sudden, the pole fell on him.
He was immediately taken to JPMC where he was admitted. The plaintiff remained hospitalised for about 10 days with further medical advice to carry out follow-up visits on short intervals.
The plaintiff was readmitted in PNS Shifa on March 6 March, for operation of tibia and fibula and after undergoing the surgical treatment which also included fixation of plates to consolidate the broken portion of left tibia and fibula. The plaintiff was discharged on March 8, with the advice to have complete rest and avoid movement of any nature which may put stress and strain on the legs.
The plaintiff after the discharge from PNS Shifa was treated as outdoor patient and is still being treated on the follow-up visits at PNS Shifa in connection with the medical and surgical treatment, including skin grafting, dressing and refashioning of the skin.
The physicians/surgeons have proposed a couple of more operations after sometime for removing the plates from the affected areas.