Court directs UT to pay victim ₹3 lakh

The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed Chandigarh administration to grant a compensation of ₹3 lakh to a woman whose leg had to be amputated following a dead tree fell on her leg in Sector 17 in September 2013.

The direction came on the petition of one, Kajal, who had approached the high court in the year 2014, seeking compensation on account of the alleged negligence on the part of Chandigarh administration and municipal corporation.

As per the 23-year-old petitioner, the leg had to be amputated due to gangrenous development.

During the course of hearing, it had come to light that in January 2013, executive engineer (horticulture) had recommended for removal of three trees in Sector 17, including the one which fell on the woman. The adviser to administrator gave the nod for same in February 2013, but tender for removal of tree could not be awarded due to procedural delays.

The tender was awarded in October 2013, a month after the incident.

They had argued that MC is required to follow procedure laid down for the removal of trees and there is no laxity on the part of any official and as such none is responsible for the mishap.

However, the high court bench of justice MMS Bedi did not accept UT’s argument. “It will be premature to express any opinion, regarding the relief, which can be granted to the petitioner, but, prima-facie, it is a case of negligence on the part of the respondents. The respondents have got a duty towards the protection of the citizens of the city,” the HC bench said, directing UT to grant ₹3 lakh to the victim woman within one month.