BARIPADA: If the February 9 Mendrajpur bus electrocution tragedy in Ganjam shook the State, Mayurbhanj district too is a sitting duck for such disaster, thanks to an absolute lack of attention to safety measures for dangerous electrical infrastructure.
While crores of rupees have been spent on expanding electrification, people in large parts of the district are exposed to life-threatening risk by open cables, low hanging live wires and bare transformers in public areas. The North Eastern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Limited (NESCO) has also admitted to the danger-ridden situation but little has been done to rectify it.
Superintending Engineer Kshirod Behera said a survey has been carried out, which revealed that there are at least 29 sections across the district where low hanging cables, live wires, LT cables and open transformers are yet to be repaired.
A report has been submitted to the higher authorities in this regard, he said.In Baripada town itself, the scene is precarious. A large number of transformers in the town do not have protective walls around them. While one such transformer can be seen outside the boundary wall of Regional Diagnostic Centre (RDC) in front of PRM Medical College and Hospital, the other is at Ganesh Market.
Another transformer which does not have a protective wall or fence around it can be found near Hemsagar Pokhari adjacent to Jagannath temple. It is located right within a market. Nimain Tripathy, a local said live wires dangling precariously too pose serious danger for people. The live wires connected to poles and streetlights are uncovered and dangle on the road.
Transformers across the district have been installed very close to the ground with low lying wires posing a grave threat to people.
Though no casualties due to electrocution have yet been reported from the town yet, the danger is always lurking. Two electrocution cases were reported from Badasahi block last year. Behera said NESCO has repaired electricity infrastructure in Krushnachandrapur and Khunta blocks of the district and work on the rest will be taken up basing on availability of funds.
Shock risk
Open cables, low hanging live wires and bare transformers pose threat to life in public places
A large number of transformers in Baripada town do not have protective walls around them
Two electrocution cases were reported from Badasahi block last year