Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Sept 9: There seems no end to the electrocution cases, mainly of casual labourers working in Power Development Department (PDD) with government failing to take any preventive measures.
There are over 10,000 need-based workers and hundreds of casual labouters working in the Department. While a casual labourer gets monthly wages of Rs 4500, a need-based worker is paid from few hundreds to Rs 1000 once or twice a year.
It has been over a year since the government formed a committee to come up with recommendations for welfare of need-based/casual laborers as well as regular employees. The committee was to come up with a roadmap for addressing the problems of need-based and casual workers. Besides that several committees had also given certain recommendations.
Despite that, there has been no implementation in recommendations of committee with electrocution cases get reported daily in the state.
For the last two years, the Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed several tragic incidents in which these men, who lit up the lives of others, were either electrocuted or become permanently handicapped, while on job.
As per the sources, most of the electrocution cases have taken place just because of the lack of communication.
"Those who repair either the electric transformer or the transmission line in advance inform the authorities at the concerned receiving station to cut the power supply but most often the power supply is restored with knowing that whether the job has been done or not," a source in the Power Development Department, said.
The source further said that there is no provision of providing financial assistance to the casual labourers who receive electric shock.
"No insurance cover is being provided to the casual labourers," said the source.
"The expenses on the treatment are mainly borne by the casual labourers themselves. There are many casual labourers who have borrowed money from their friends and relatives," said the source.
Thousands of men who work as need-based or casual workers in the PDD are always on the forefront in case of any emergency. But when any of these "unsung heroes" meets a tragic accident, they are never owned by the Department or the Government, and their families are left to fend for themselves.
That these appointees aren't on the official rolls is the main reason for the Government disowning them and their families and thus, their death in the line of duty doesn't even find a mention in official records.
Looking at the past incidents of two years, Abdul Qayoom, a need-based worker in J&K's Power Development Department from Budgam died of a fatal electric shock while repairing a transmission line in Khag village of the district
Similarly, Muhammad Ramzan Tantray from Baramulla, another linesman in the PDD, lost both arms after receiving severe burn injuries due to the electric shock.
A line man namely Mushtaq Ahmad in his 30's of Inderbugh, Lolab died due to short circuit while repairing an electric transformer at Chopan Mohalla in Devsar Mohalla.
Similarly, a 38 year old casual labourer Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat was electrocuted while repairing a high voltage transmission line in the Srinagar city.
Mushtaq's body remained hung for one hour on the line near Budshah Chowk. Such incidents are getting reported daily in the state. |
