Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct 12: The Chairman of Our Rights Organization, Mr. C. Saravanan, has written to the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, seeking the constitution of an independent High-Level Enquiry Committee to investigate repeated electrical accidents, fatalities and alleged lapses in safety and administrative accountability in the Electricity Department over the past three to four years. The representation also seeks a thorough investigation into the death of Late Mr. Adi Narayan, who was serving as a Senior Boiler and Electrical Operator (SBEO) at Chatham Power House.
In his representation submitted to Raj Niwas, Mr. Saravanan expressed concern over reports of repeated electrical accidents involving employees and other persons associated with electrical operations. He stated that these incidents raise questions regarding compliance with safety procedures, departmental supervision, assignment of hazardous duties, maintenance of electrical installations and the accountability of officials responsible for ensuring workers’ safety.
Referring to the death of Late Mr. Adi Narayan, Mr. Saravanan stated that, according to a representation submitted by the Electricity Employees Welfare Union, Mr. Adi Narayan reportedly sustained serious electrical or burn injuries on October 4, 2026, and succumbed to his injuries on October 8, 2026. He said the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the work assigned to the employee, supervisory instructions and safety precautions, require a detailed and impartial investigation.
The representation also raises questions concerning cable-fault repair work, the possible involvement of private or hired power-generation installations, authorisation of duties, electrical isolation, earthing and permit-to-work procedures. Mr. Saravanan stressed that the facts should be established through documentary evidence, technical findings and witness statements, and that responsibility should be determined fairly without presuming the guilt of any individual.
Expressing concern over reports of multiple electrical accidents and fatalities during the past three to four years, Mr. Saravanan urged the Administration to conduct a consolidated review rather than examining each incident in isolation. He called for an assessment of compliance with electrical safety standards, availability of protective equipment, employee training, adequacy of supervision, maintenance practices and the implementation of corrective measures following previous accidents and near-miss incidents.
In his letter, Mr. Saravanan proposed that the independent enquiry committee be headed by a retired senior judicial officer or an impartial retired senior administrative officer. He suggested that the committee include an independent electrical safety expert or competent Electrical Inspector, a senior police officer not connected with the cases, a vigilance representative, a representative of the Labour Department and technical experts in power generation and electrical safety, wherever required.
The proposed committee would investigate the circumstances and causes of the death of Late Mr. Adi Narayan, review reported fatal and serious electrical accidents during the relevant period, examine the responsibilities of officers, supervisors and contractors wherever applicable, and recommend appropriate departmental, disciplinary, criminal or regulatory action if supported by evidence and applicable law. It would also assess whether previous inquiry recommendations had been implemented and suggest measures to prevent similar incidents.
Mr. Saravanan has further requested the immediate preservation of all relevant evidence and official records, including CCTV footage, duty rosters, deployment orders, work orders, cable-fault registers, shutdown and switching records, permit-to-work documents, earthing records, control-room logbooks, maintenance reports, inspection records, training records and previous inquiry reports. He emphasised that such material should be preserved properly to prevent the loss, alteration or destruction of evidence.
The representation also calls for an impartial investigation by the competent police and electrical safety authorities wherever required, particularly in cases involving suspected negligence or violations of statutory safety requirements. Mr. Saravanan stated that appropriate action should be initiated wherever wrongdoing is established, while ensuring that the rights of all concerned persons are respected and responsibility is determined through a fair process.
Highlighting the hardships faced by bereaved families, Mr. Saravanan urged the Administration to ensure that the family of Late Mr. Adi Narayan receives all compensation, ex-gratia assistance, outstanding salary, insurance benefits, gratuity, pension or family pension, leave encashment and other service benefits admissible under the applicable rules. He also requested consideration of compassionate appointment for eligible dependents and similar assistance for other affected families and eligible injured persons.
Seeking a time-bound process, Mr. Saravanan requested that the committee begin its work immediately after constitution, submit a preliminary report within 30 days, if feasible, and a comprehensive report within 90 days, subject to the scope and complexity of the cases. He also called for the identification of immediate safety risks, implementation of preventive measures and periodic monitoring of the action taken on the committee’s recommendations.
Mr. Saravanan clarified that the objective of the representation was not to prejudge the responsibility of any individual but to ensure that the truth is established, accountability is fixed wherever warranted and human lives are protected. He urged the Lieutenant Governor to intervene and issue necessary directions for constituting the proposed independent enquiry committee in the larger public interest.
