Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Oct 12: Today once again a lineman died while working on electric pole, just because he was not wearing proper safety gears.
This is perhaps first such case in PBMC but in Electricity department dozens of such cases have been witnessed by public.
In this case as per details 55 year old Lineman Mr. Albert Dung Dung died when he came into the contact with High Tension Wire while working on an electric pole at Garacharma area.
According to relatives of late Albert Dung Dung, electric wire touched his head and he fell down immediately due to electrocution. As per medical reports he died because of this electrocution.
Relatives alleged that the death happened due to negligence. “The PBMC must provide safety gears to all linemen. A helmet would have saved Albert’s life today,” claimed a relative.
Linemen working on electric lines without any safety gear, is a common scene in Andamans. However PBMC and Electricity department claims that all safety gears are provided to linemen, but linemen do not wear those safety gears.
When contacted the newly elected Chairperson of PBMC, Mr. Eshwar Rao said that PBMC has all kind of safety gears for linemen but in this case the Lineman was having 32 years of experience, hence, as per the Chairperson, “The Lineman might have not used the gears.”
“But I have announced compensation of Rs.2 Lakh to the bereaved family and a suitable employment of temporary nature to the son of the deceased,” Mr. Rao added.
When contacted why there was no JE on the spot while linemen were working on live electric pole the Chairperson changed the topic.
