Kharar linesman electrocuted: Punjab State Human Rights Commission seeks report from CE
Mohali, July 8
Two days after a linesman was electrocuted atop a power pole at the Hospital Road in Kharar, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and called for a report from the Chief Engineer, South Zone, Patiala, before October 4, the next date of hearing.
Satwinder Singh (29) was electrocuted when he was fixing a fault on an 11KV line. With no hydraulic lift to rescue him, the linesman remained enmeshed in electricity wires for around half an hour. Fellow workers and locals arranged two bamboo ladders and a tipper truck in a bid to rescue him. An ambulance failed to reach it in time, even though it was barely 200 metres away. Eventually, the victim was taken to a hospital in a truck.
On Sunday, the deceased’s kin and members of the Powercom and Transco Contract Workers Union (PTCWU) staged a protest against the inhumane working conditions and lack of safety gear for the PSPCL linesmen.
Mohali Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi said due to the negligence of the Electricity Board officials and bureaucracy, employees have been losing their lives. He said an FIR should be registered against negligent officials.
