High-tension wires give residents sleepless nights

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 17

Despite mishaps, the government has nothing to remove the high-tension wires passing at a low altitude from New Dashmesh Nagar in Jodda Phatak. An estimate for removal of high voltage cables from here was passed a few years ago, but no further progress has been made.

Raman Kumar, a resident of the locality, said, “A young man had died after coming in contact with a h igh tension wire in the area a year and a half ago. The alarmed residents of the locality had met the then councillor Dr Jatinder Pal Singh Ghuman to remove the low-hanging wires. At that time, estimates were made but the plan was never executed.”

Former councillor, Dr Ghuman, said the estimate was made and the project was handed over to a private company, which abandoned it for unspecified reasons. Since the new government assumed power, the civic works came to a halt in Ward No. 24, which was Ward No. 18 before delimitation was carried out last year, he said. Even the new transformer approved for Mahindra Colony has not been installed, he said, adding that the complaints of potable water supply mixed with sewage remained unaddressed.

Councillor Rajinder Singh Saini said, “I am not aware of any estimate passed for removing the power cables. I will look into the matter. Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has already announced to shift all such cables from the residential areas.”