Lineman dies while repairing power supply line

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 14

In the absence of any protective gear, a lineman of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) got electrocuted while carrying out repair work on an electricity pole. The deceased was identified as Baljit Singh, posted at at the City Centre subdivision.

At the time of the incident, he was working on a supply line in Guru Nanak Market near bus stand when he fell from the pole. Baljit sustained a serious head injury and died on the spot. Earlier, too, deaths of two linemen have been reported from the city this year while they were working on the supply lines.

Baljit’s colleague, assistant lineman Jagir Singh said they had got the power supply switched off before working on the line, but it resumed while Baljit was still repairing the fault. Even as the department is investigating the reasons behind the instance, the tragedy has brought to the fore the dangers of working on power lines without any protective gear.

The trend is more pronounced in the rural belt where residents often try to repair the fault on their own. In villages, people often have to change fuses of transformers, as power corporation employees are slow to respond. However, such acts have often resulted in accidents.

A retired power corporation official, Satnam Singh, said, “While residents themselves carrying out repair work is dangerous, even corporation employees are not provided protective gear.” He said the power corporation must focus on creating awareness about safety tips because a lot many employees lose their lives this way.

It has also been learnt that in a few areas, because of the dangerous nature of the job, power corporation employees have been employing unemployed youngsters to do the risky job for them.

“This is taking place in many areas. But if such a person meets with an accident, he will not get any financial relief. It will be better if employees are provided protective gear so that they do not have to employ a non-employee to save their own lives,” said another official.