| Unplanned colonies, casual approach of PDD take toll of linemen | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 22: The Casual Approach of the Power Development Department (PDD) and the unplanned colonies in the state are taking toll of the lives of the Daily wagers and need based laourers in Jammu provision.
A senior employee of the department requesting anonymity said that more than 150 daily wagers and need based labourers have lost their lives in Jammu province in last one decade, but no safety measures have been taken by the department.
"Thousands of workers engaged by PDD for maintenance work or laying new infrastructure are working under threat of death and injury," employee said.
Another Power Development Department daily wager Jatinder Kumar, S/o Kuldeep Raj of Phallian Mandal had lost his life while working on an electricity poll last Month. Jatinder was working on the poll at Janipur, when someone put the power switch on and he died on the spot due to electrocution.
A fear has developed among the daily wagers and need based labourers of the department after the death of Jatinder kumar, who lost his life during performing his duty. Gurbahan Singh, Superintendent Engineer (SE) PDD Jammu Circle said that the department is enquiring the reason of the incident.
The Daily wagers of PDD alleged that despite repeated pleas to the officials, safety equipments are not being provided to the workers engaged in high-risk repair work. They said that despite clear directions of Central Government, department has failed to provide helmets, high quality ropes and special gloves to these workers.
While refusing the allegations Gurbachan Singh said, "All the sub-divisions have sufficient safety equipments, but the problem is that they (labrours) feel easy to work without the equipments." "Another reason of these kinds of accidents is the unplanned colonies in the city, narrow lanes create chaos of main lines (wires), which cause accidents," he added.
As per the government record, till 2010, nearly 100 daily wagers engaged in maintenance work have died mostly from power shock or by falling from the poles and high tension towers. Another 185 have been left handicapped while performing their duties across the state during the last 15 years. |
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