Kh. Nobin Singh, J. - (1.) Heard Shri Kh. Tarunkumar, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners; Shri R.K. Nokulsana, the learned Senior Advocate assisted by Shri Y. Sanajaoba, the learned counsels appearing for the respondent Nos. 2 and 3 and Shri K. Jagat, the learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondent No. 1. [1.1] The facts and circumstances of these cases are almost identical and therefore, the same are being disposed of by this common judgment and order.
(2.) The instant writ petition has been filed by the petitioner praying for a direction directing the respondents to pay adequate compensation for a sum of Rs. 20,00,000/- (Rupees twenty lakh) to the petitioner.
(3.) According to the petitioner, she is the widow of late Elangbam Ranjit Singh who was engaged as a labourer in the Sewage Project undertaken by the Department of Public Health Engineering, Government of Manipur (hereinafter referred to as the 'PHED') near Kekrupat Area, Imphal and expired while performing the work of cleaning inside the manhole of the said Sewage Project. On 25-04-2013 at around 07:30 AM, her husband went down inside the manhole for cleaning work by lifting the cover of the hole using a ladder and as soon as he reached the bottom of the manhole, he fell unconscious because of suffocation. On seeing the said situation, another co-worker namely Elangbam Indra Singh who also hails from the same village of the petitioner went inside the manhole to save the life of her husband and unfortunately, he also fell down unconscious inside the manhole. As the other co-workers could not lift him up immediately for want of emergency materials to save the worker/ labourer, some personnel of the Manipur Fire Service who came there pulled up her husband from inside the manhole. Thereafter, he was taken to JNIMS where the doctor declared him as brought dead. [3.2] The news about the death of her husband and another co-worker came to be published in the local daily called the "POKNAPHAM" in its edition dated 26-04-2013 wherein it was clearly written that they had died while cleaning the manhole of the Sewage Project. A post mortem was conducted on her husband's dead body and an FIR in respect thereof was also registered by the Imphal Police Station. The authorities of the PHED gave a sum of Rs. 2,10,000/- (Rupees two lakh ten thousands) only to the petitioner but they did not provide adequate compensation to the petitioner for her livelihood and three minor children left behind by her husband who was the sole bread earner of her family. Accordingly, she submitted a representation to the Chief Engineer, PHED on 10-06-2013 praying for providing adequate compensation and the same is still pending for consideration. Being aggrieved by the inaction on the part of the authorities of the PHED, the instant writ petition has been filed by the petitioner.;