Residents fume as dangling wires in Basti Bawa Khel pose threat

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, November 22

The high tension wires hanging low in Basti Bawa Khel continue to pose threat to the lives of people. Residents say they want a concrete solution to the long-pending problem. “Despite repeated complaints to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), nothing has been done so far,” they say.

The wires pass just a few feet above the roofs of a considerable number of houses, near balconies and shutters of shops.

A resident said, “Our area has been neglected by the authorities concerned. No one listens to us. Even if we apprise them of our issues, they pass the buck to other officials. The dangling wires pose threat to people. These often get snapped due to the movement of heavy vehicles, putting several lives in jeopardy. Residents want a concrete solution to the problem.”

Another resident, Manpreet Singh, said, “We live under the constant threat of being electrocuted due to the web of low hanging wires in the market and residential areas.”

Residents said PSPCL officials appeared to have been waiting for a fatal mishap to occur. “We are worried for our children who go to school. Dangling high-tension wires can trigger mishaps. We have written several times to the authorities concerned, but to no avail,” said Savitri Sharma, a housewife.

When contacted, PSPCL Chief Engineer Davinder Singh said, “We carry out maintenance work in routine to fix the dangling wires. The issue of Basti Bawa Khel is not in my knowledge. The officials concerned will be directed to resolve the problem at the earliest.”