Dangling wires pose a threat to lives

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 18

Loosely hanging overhead cables and wires at major junctions and roadsides in the city are posing a serious threat to both motorists and pedestrians.

All lamp, electric and telephone posts in the city carry hundreds of cables and most of them are lying low posing a threat to the public. But the authorities concerned seem to be in a deep slumber and are waiting for a tragedy to strike.

Uncovered wires hanging loose can be spotted at several areas in the city. At many places, even wire joints are lying uncovered and can cause an untoward incident during on a rainy day. Residents feel that these are an open invitation to fatal incidents.

Despite widespread complaints from the public, the department concerned, which is responsible for removing the dangerous cables is yet to take a step.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also ruled that preventing the sagging of electricity cables and electrocution was the responsibility of the authorities concerned, failure to do so amount to negligence.

Even a few days back, shopkeepers of cloth market raised this issue with the finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal that low lying wires are posing serious threat to their lives and even minister has also assured to address this issue within 10 days.

It’s worth mentioning that many have lost their lives in the past in the city due to this non-serious attitude of the officials on the issue as despite such incidents, nothing has been done by the authorities concerned in this regard.

In 2013, an 18-year-old kabaddi player Talwinder Singh died of electrocution while trying to cross the road near Dashmesh Senior Secondary School and was electrocuted from a pole.

Even a resident of Ganesh Nagar also died a few years back after coming in contact with the electric wires while standing on the rooftop of his house.

Pushpinder Singh, city resident said at most of the places, transformers are uncovered and so are their wires. Many times, sparks coming out of them have fallen on passersby.

Another resident Shikhar Garg said this is a serious issue and it should be addressed on the priority as this posing a serious threat to residents.

A PSPCL official said the work of changing wires and transformers was already going on in the city and we were focusing on keeping the wire high as well.