Times of India: Nagpur: Sunday, September 10, 2017.
Even as the
dust is yet to settle on the deaths of 11-year old twins Priyansh and Piyush
Dhar and five-year old Umesh Pande due to electrocution from high-tension (HT)
wires, fresh data has revealed that over 800 persons lost their lives in
Vidarbha due to shocks in the last five-and-half years.
According to
an RTI reply submitted by MSEDCL public information officer, the dead not only
include children but also employees from power companies. Even 1,295 animals
have also died after coming into contact with live wires during the same
period.
The reply to
senior activist Abhay Kolarkar's RTI query said that about 845 persons lost
lives since January 1, 2012 to June this year. It included 777 adults, 35
children and 33 MSEDCL officials who died while doing repair works. The figures
are of four zones of MSEDCL, including Nagpur which covers city and rural areas
along with Wardha district. Its Gondia zone include Bhandara district, while
Akola has Buldhana and Washim in its fold.
Only two of
its officials were fixed with the responsibility of deaths in this period by
the MSEDCL in Nagpur Zone, while not a single one was found guilty in Gondia
Zone. In contrast, 202 employees were held responsible for the loss of human
lives in Chandrapur zone which has a super thermal power station.
Even the
information about the number of children dying due to shocks seems to incorrect
as only one was shown as passed away in 2017, as per MSEDCL records. However,
one of the twin, Priyansh Dhar expired on June 9 while his brother Piyush on
June 20. On the same day, five-year-old Swayam Pande got electrocuted by an
11KV HT cable at IC Square, Hingna Road and died on the spot.
The data
mentioned that 31 citizens lost lives in Nagpur city along with just two
children, which shows that either the information with MSEDCL was not updated
or several cases were going unreported.
Even
statewide, nearly 5,000 persons have died in six and half years from June 2010
to June 2016. This includes those from Vidarbha.
In the same
period, 5,046 animals also died due to electric shocks in the state.
Additionally, about 3,675 persons suffered injuries due to electrocution, of
which 1,574 were MSEDCL staffers, in same period, which was reported in detail
by TOI on June 29 last year.
As per the
MSEDCL officials, large number of deaths was result of negligence by the
citizens while handling electric equipment that led to fatalities. Many of them
were allegedly stealing power when they came in contact with live wires. Even
their own employees didn't follow precautions like switching of the power
supply during repair works that led to fatalities.
The Union ministry
of power carries out a survey and releases a report of the people affected. On
that basis, compensation of up to Rs4 lakhs was granted to individuals and
families.
Taking a suo
motu cognisance of various TOI reports, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court
treated electrocution deaths of children as PIL and directed MSEDCL and MSETCL
to deposit Rs25,000 each in the court to be given to the deceased's families.
Observing the deaths as "distressing and heart-wrenching", the judges
stated that incidents reflect systematic failure of the concerned authorities.
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