CUTTACK: Open electricity transformers and dangling wires at various places in the city pose a serious threat to lives of human and animals. Despite the Orissa High Court’s order, the Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) authorities seem to have least concern to take safety measures in this regard. In Christian Sahi of Sutahat, an open transformer is mounted on the poles at a height of about three feet with naked wires hanging from it along Sutahat-Chandi Chowk road. While a pond having no barricade is located on the left side of the road, the unfenced transformer is on the right side.
A playground belonging to Christian Society is situated adjacent to the transformer. “The transformer poses grave threat to the children in the playground. There is every possibility that they may unknowingly come in contact with the unfenced transformer leading to fatal consequences,” said Bishal Bhaumick of Christian Sahi. It is not an isolated case. Transformers installed in similar manner can be spotted in various public, residential and commercial pockets of the city including Makarbag Sahi-Meria Bazaar road, Mangalabag Medical road near BOSE campus, KBK Road in front of Satya Sai English Medium School and backside of Gada Gadeswar temple. Even naked cables with fuse wire are found hanging at a height of five feet from the ground.
Though linemen find it convenient to mend the fuse without using a ladder, it has every possibility of causing serious harm to any unsuspecting person, the locals said. Executive Engineer of City Distribution Division-1 of CESU Deepak Rout said fencing could not be possible at Christian Sahi as it would congest the road. “We have sought consent of Bishop to construct an enclosure on the side of playground to shift the transformer,” said Rout adding that the CESU had fenced transformers wherever possible.