Dangling power lines claim 600 lives in 4 years

Anantapur/Puttaparthi: Lives of nearly 600 people, including men and women, were cut short due to deaths caused by electrocution in the erstwhile Anantapur district in the last four years. In most cases, the deaths were caused owing to callousness of the APTransco staff. While Thursday's gruesome tragedy was a clear example of poorly maintained electric cables, the general public are scoffing at the explanation given by Transco officials that the cables gave way due to squirrel bite.

This unwarranted loss of life should be compensated by Transco authorities by giving employment to the kin of the deceased if they so demand, feels the villagers of Guddampalle in Tadimarri mandal in Sathya Sai district. The incidents suggest that there is no periodic inspection of power cables or their maintenance, especially during rainy season. As per records, about 540 deaths during the past 4 years were caused by electrocution. Loose power cables dangling at locations like power lines crisscrossing busy town and village junctions, hanging cables at the electric transformers and broken powerlines dangling all over power cable junctions crisscrossing and spread helter skelter.

At many such junctions, people are vulnerable. Many petty traders also make transformers as a source for erecting tinned roof sheds for tea and snacks stall. There are instances of traders carelessly pitching sheds close to powerlines on one hand and the electrical field staff and engineering personnel turning a blind eye to the hazardous position of power cables.

Many live power cables touch tree branches, posing danger to lives. Some power lines are erectd below the specified height. For example for 11 kv lines, the height of cables should be 7.5 metre, for 33 kv lines the height should be 8.73 metre, 120 kv 8.73 metre, 120 kv 10.10 metre, 200 kv 11 metre and 400 kv 12.5 metre but these norms are not strictly followed. The Transco staff are taking it lightly even they notice power cables hanging and dancing over the heads of the general public.

While line inspectors are supposed to inspect low tension power lines, assistant engineer and deputy engineer should inspect 11 kv lines and 33 kv lines by once in a month. The general criticism is that inspections are not that regular.

Many power cables are decades old and are damaged exposing the live wires which touch other lines crisscrossing the area but they are conveniently ignored, resulting in tripping causing disruption to power supply. Overburdened field staff taking care of 4-5 villages are facing pressure from both their higher ups and the local people. There is a staff scarcity problem dogging the department just like in any other departments. As many as 55 linemen posts are vacant out of the sanctioned strength of 560. Out of sanctioned strength of 535 assistant linemen, 348 posts are vacant. Similarly, out of 450 junior linemen posts, 275 are vacant.

APTransco SE Nagaraju told 'The Hans India' that he would take steps to prevent recurrence of incidents of electrocution. While action is being taken on complaints of dangling power cables specifically, he said he would go for thorough inspection of the running power cables and take remedial steps in this regard.