SAMUDRALA GOVINDARAJULU, J.

Heard Sri Anand Kumar Kapoor – learned Counsel for the petitioners, Sri Radhakrishna Reddy – learned Standing Counsel for the 1st Respondent-Corporation, the Assistant Solicitor General for India for the 2nd Respondent and Smt.M. Bhaskara Laxmi – learned Counsel for Respondent No.3 & 4.

2. Petitioner Nos.1 & 2 are the parents and petitioner Nos.3 &4 the siblings (sisters) of late Sri Pallapu Madhava Rao. The petitioners are all residents of Marutinagar, Champapet, Ranga Reddy District. Madhava Rao is claimed to have died by drowning in an unfenced drain abutting the road maintained by the 1st Respondent on the intervening night of the 9th and 10th August, 2008, allegedly on account of the 1st respondent’s negligence in taking due care to fence the drain or otherwise protect unwary passersby from drowning therein. The incident is asserted to have occurred at the unfenced open drain abutting the road near the arch at Balajinagar, Sridhar Colony, K.V.R. Pragati School, jilalguda, Ranga Reddy District.

3. In June, 2009 the petitioners applied to the Permanent Lok Adalat [the ‘PLA’] for public utility services under Section 22-C of the Legal Serv