navinjha@herald-goa.com
VASCO: By law, there should be a minimum distance between live electricity conductors and houses, and it is the duty of the electricity department to ensure that no live wires run very close to any structure as the same could endanger the lives of people.
Ironically, in Vasco, which is the hometown of Power Minister Milind Naik, such rules are followed only on paper. Due to the lethargy of electricity department officials, families are at serious risk of getting electrocuted. This has been going on for the last three years.
The issue has been raised by four families residing at the Housing Board colony in New Vaddem, Vasco. Their main worry is that live electricity wires, which have been running very close to their tiled-roof structures for the last several years, have loosened and are resting on the roofs. The residents have regularly received unexpected shocks, while there are no takers for their complaints.
“Few weeks back, a boy had climbed on the roof to remove a cricket ball; he came in contact with these live wires and received a shock. Such incidents have become regular occurrence. During the rains, we live under constant fear as the electrical appliances in our houses release a shock. This is happening because the live wires are resting on the roof of our houses. Sadly, despite making complaints to the junior engineer as well as other senior electricity department officials, no one has come to our rescue,” a resident told herald.
For these four affected families, the problem is partly attributed to the lack of will on the part of the local municipal councillor, and more importantly, by the electricity department, which failed to take steps to resolve this long-pending issue.
“The Electricity Department should take preventive steps and identify the structures with live wires running close or over them, thereby posing a high threat to the residents.” said another affected resident.
Electricity Department sources have confirmed that, “The rule clearly says that there should be 4 meters vertical clearance and about 2 meters horizontal clearance between the nearest conductor and any part of a building or other structure. If the Electricity Department officials have been ignoring this rule, then it is a criminal offence.”
Besides providing relief to these four families, the authorities should also identify other areas where live wires are crisscrossing over residential structures and shops, thereby posing a serious threat to the lives of the people living underneath.
