The Hindu : New Delhi News : GHMC asked to pay compensation

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Friday, Sep 07, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

GHMC asked to pay compensation

Youth’s body found in pool after 12 hours; civic body blamed

New Delhi: The National Consumer Commission has asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to pay compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of a youth who drowned in a swimming pool, holding the civic body responsible for lack of proper safety measures there.

Quashing the appeal of the corporation, the commission comprising Justice M B Shah and Rajyalaksmi Rao said the fact that the body was not noticed for 12 hours was a “shocking indictment of the state of affairs at the swimming pool” which was run by the civic body.

Callousness cited

“The facts of the case revealed that there was total negligence on the part of the MCH (Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad) in not manning the swimming pool by proper lifeguards and other staff so as to at least monitor the swimmers,” the apex consumer body said. Its ruling came on an appeal by GHMC which had challenged the Andhra Pradesh State Commission’s order to compensate the family of 23-year-old S Abdul Hameed whose body was recovered from a swimming pool, being managed by it, on April 20, 2000, after lying unnoticed for over 12 hours. - PTI

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