Lives short circuited by lack of funding
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Bengaluru: Nearly three years ago, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) directed BESCOM and the other power utilities in the city to take adequate safety measures and curb deaths caused by electrocution. Deccan Chronicle was given to understand that the safety project hasn’t made any headway yet because of a lack of funds.
In 2010, when 8-year old girl Sunitha died when by stepping on a live electric cable lying on the ground near her school in Gangondanahalli off Mysore Road, the KERC issued instructions for a set of safety standards and preventive measures.
However, the action plan is caught stuck in red tape, delay in fund clearance has resulted in the loss of several lives. BESCOM is also yet to start the aerial bunched cables (ABCs) to ensure that open live wires in crowded areas are safety tucked away using ABCs.
BESCOM’s plan to prevent electrocution was in consultation with Power Research and Development Consultants, a private agency. A survey was conducted as part of the plan, and 124 sensitive and dangerous installations were identified, for old conductors to be replaced with insulated ones. These were concentrated in areas like crowded market places, slums and places of worship.
The immediate need for bringing in these improved safety standards was felt in 2010, when the state recorded the highest number of deaths by electrocution — 399. In 2011, the toll fell to 243. (Figures for 2012 and 2013 are not yet available). The Rs 360 crore project, it was learned, was also delayed by a cash crunch. and the full fund allocation is still pending.
After 2010 incident, 4,355 hazardous locations were earmarked. A comprehensive plan was laid down and the Rs 360 crore project was begun. We have been only allocated Rs 90 crore by the board as the tender cost was high. With that Rs 90 crore we have started the work and have already procured Rs 45 crore worth of materials for the project.
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