Shock that changed the life of this 13-year-old, for the worse
Aditya Sharma (13), a student of class VIII in Jaipuria School of Gomti Nagar here, has changed his ambition from becoming a lawn tennis player to a footballer -- not because he has developed a love for football overnight, but because he has lost his right arm in an accident involving a high tension wire.
The tragedy happened in September 2016 when Aditya had gone to the roof of his house after a bath and his hand touched the high tension wire passing just a few feet away.
The Sharma family is shattered today just because of the lethargy of Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA), which didn’t get the wires removed despite the area (Vineet Khand-III of Gomti Nagar) becoming densely populated.
Call it negligence or inhuman approach of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) –- under which LESA comes -2,533 deaths have taken place due to electrocution in the last four years, besides about 700 other electrocution victims had to face amputation. In 2015-16 alone, 723 people died due to electrocution – about two deaths per day.
Meanwhile, managing director of Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited AR Vedi said “Amputation of the child’s arm is unfortunate. I have already ordered moving of high tension lines out of residential colonies.” Expressing concern over the mental trauma being faced by children like Aditya, Uttar Pradesh Vidyut Upbokta Parishad chairman Avadhesh Varma said, “Due to poor implementation of electrical safety norms, thousands of people have lost their lives. UPPCL spends crores on maintenance work but why it ignores shifting lines from densely populated areas. I have written to the chief minister so that he can initiate strict measures to prevent such accidents.”
Meanwhile, life has turned a full circle for Aditya as he is unable to do most of his daily work on his own. He needs the help of his parents even to dress up and eat food. Despite this, Aditya is positive about his future.
“I am lucky that my legs are safe. I can still play football and become an ace footballer,” said Aditya, whose a big sports buff.
Recalling the trauma he underwent, Aditya said, “I was in coma for several days. The bigger shock came when my arm was amputated. Then my main worry was my studies. But Dr Ashok Sharma of Era Medical College fixed an arm with sensors to my amputated arm. It can follow directions from the mind.”
The ‘Maya electric prosthesis arm’, which has been fixed on Aditya, is impressive — a patient uses his mind to control the robotic arm that can sense pressure, shake hands and grasp delicate objects. Today Aditya is trying to learn how to use the arm. He wants to write and eat with hand.
Alok Sharma, father of Aditya, who lost his right arm after he came in contact with high tension wire passing near the roof of his house in Gomti Nagar here, has decided to sue UPPCL for the tragedy in his son’s life “due to their fault.”
Sharma says, “Initially I was not able to sue UPPCL because I was busy with the treatment of Aditya. But now I will file a case for compensation as my son is totally dependent on us for the rest of his life. We are middleclass people and need some help for his future treatment, too.”
On April 24 this year, the high court asked the power corporation to pay Rs 60 lakh each to two children of Chinhat, Lucknow after they suffered tragic shock from high tension wires.
Yashpal (12) and Ankit (14) had to get their hands amputated when they were electrocuted by high tension wires passing near their house in Gaurav Vihar, Chinhat.
The court also ordered that UPPCL to pay 6% interest in case of delay in payment.
The Allahabad high court, Lucknow bench, directed the state government to ensure that adequate safety measures were undertaken by the electricity department wherever high tension wires were passing.
“The loss of future earning, medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of amenities of life and loss of expectation of life need to be taken into consideration while calculating the amount of compensation to be awarded,” the court had said.
Meanwhile, MD, Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, AR Vedi said, “Amputation of the child’s arm is unfortunate but I have already ordered moving of high tension lines out of residential colonies. I wonder why these houses were allowed to come up despite the presence of high tension wires in the area. Why these departments are not pulled up.”
“According to rules the builder or residents will have to pay for the shifting of lines in case the lines were present prior to coming up of the houses,” said Vedi.