Naked electric wires in the city are posing a serious threat to the life of people, speaking volumes for the negligence of Jharkhand State Electricity Board. Cobwebs of electric wires can be seen dangling from the cabinets, which are proving fatal.
While on Wednesday a 15-year-old boy was killed on being electrocuted at Ramgarh village near Jamshedpur, two buffalos were electrocuted at Nandnagar under Sidhgora police station area on Thursday morning.
Concerned over the incident the angry residents protested against JSEB and said that loose connection of the overhead cable line drawn by the JSEB led to the incident. They maintained that instead of the buffalows, a human being, especially children might also have fallen victim to the electrocution.
“The electricity cables laid in the area are naked and live. They stretch along the roads, which is a serious concern. During the rainy season we face a huge risk to our lives due to these wires,” said a local. One of the buffaloes was removed from the spot by the local residents, where as the other buffalow was still stuck to the live wire till late afternoon. Several fatal incidents have occurred as a result. The residents of the area threatened to come out on the streets against the departments concerned if the wires were not replaced.
Earlier on Wednesday morning, a 15-year-old boy Karma Singh was electrocuted as he landed on a live fallen wire at a field in Ramgarh village near Jamshedpur. The incident took place while the victim was carrying woods home unable to look at the fallen wire.
Superintending engineer, JSEB, Singhbhum Circle, AP Singh admitted that the incidents of cables falling take place in the JSEB command areas during the rainy season, but he prompted to say that they are concerned about the problem. He, however, promised to carry out a survey of the areas where the JSEB supplies power during the monsoon, and try to find out the defective overhead cables soon.
Apart from short-circuit, cases of deaths due to electric shocks in several areas from these wires have also been reported. But all these incidents have failed to evoke reaction from the authorities, who have never bothered to take action for redressing this grievance of residents.
“Though the web of loose high-tension wires in the JSEB command areas poses a threat to the life and property of the residents, the authorities are not bothered to take action on it,” said Prakash Sharma, a social worker.