Overhead danger in Karnal

Parveen Arora

Karnal district has plans to go high-tech with the installation of ‘smart meters’ and a ‘smart grid’ but it is still grappling with the problem of unsafe iron electric poles. In 2016, the state government had ordered replacement of all iron poles, including tubular and channel (excluding railway poles), and the UHBVN was to bear the cost.

There are 3,526 iron electric poles (excluding railway poles) installed in various parts of the district that pose a threat to the lives of people, especially during the monsoons. Of these, 227 are in Karnal city, 1,170 in Taraori, 33 in Nissing, 472 in Nilokheri, 714 in Indri, 209 in Gharaunda, 685 in Munak, and 16 in Assandh. This information was revealed in the reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by advocate Kartik Gandhi, chairman of city-based NGO Janta Rocks Trust.  

The situation is worrisome in Karnal city. There are 105 tubular poles in the city subdivision area, while there are 12 poles in Model Town subdivision, 86 iron poles in Ram Nagar subdivision, six in Newal subdivision, and 18 in suburban division.

Be it the Railway road, old city, Sector 12 area, Model Town, Ram Nagar, Prem Nagar, Shiv Colony, Sadar Bazaar, Sham Nagar or other parts of the city, iron poles have been installed in violation of the instructions of the state government. Iron poles have even been erected near government schools in Prem Nagar, Ram Nagar, Model Town, Sector 13, ITI Chowk and on the Railway road.

In some areas, iron electricity poles installed close to houses have endangered the lives of people. Residents say that the negligent attitude of UHBVN employees has increased the risk to their lives manifold.

“Iron poles are vulnerable to electric current. In our area these poles pose a serious threat to the lives of people. The government must replace them with concrete poles or underground wiring, as Karnal has been included under the Smart City programme. The UHBVN should start the work on smart underground wiring in Karnal city,” says Davinder Sachdeva, a social activist and resident of Ram Nagar. 

Moreover, dangling cables and loose wires have emerged as a major safety concern for city residents. These are also a threat to the lives of people and animals in both rural and urban areas. The state government had directed officials to replace dangling wires and cables with a trenchless distribution network. During the rainy season or a windstorm, there is a greater threat of fire incidents due to loosely hanging wires and fatal accidents due to iron poles. Basant Vihar, Hansi road, Phoosgarh road, old city, Sadar Bazaar, Hospital chowk, Nilokheri town, Indri, Assandh, Jundla, and Kunjpura are some areas where loose and hanging wires betray the careless attitude of the UHBVN. “Hanging wires in our colony are a grave risk to the lives of residents. The UHBVN should replace them,” says Sonu, a resident of Basant Vihar.

UHBVN sources say that the Punjab and Haryana High Court, taking suo motu cognizance, had directed the power distribution companies to replace iron poles and hanging wires, but nobody had bothered to follow the order.

Gandhi says that the UHBVN is not complying with the circular of the government regarding the prescribed safety standards. He says that in October 2018, former Minister of State for Mining and Labour Nayab Singh Saini, now Kurukshetra MP, had at a district public grievances redress meeting ordered officials to replace all iron poles within 15 days, but no work has been done so far. 

“The UHBVN is spending huge money on smart meters and the smart grid project but it has no intention and budget to replace dangerous iron poles and hanging wires to avoid accidents and unnatural deaths,” says Gandhi.

SK Chawla, Superintending Engineer (SE), UHBVN, says that the work to replace iron poles is under way. The poles are being replaced in phases. “We have replaced dangerous iron electric poles and now we have started the process to replace others. Dangling wires are also being replaced in the district,” he adds.

Precarious poles being replaced
The work to replace iron poles is under way. The poles are being replaced in phases. We have replaced dangerous iron electric poles and now we have started the process to replace others. Dangling wires are also being replaced in the district. — SK Chawla, Superintending Engineer, UHBVN

UHBVN unwilling to do the needful
The UHBVN is spending huge money on smart meters and the smart grid project but it has no intention and budget to replace dangerous iron poles and hanging wires that may lead to fatal accidents and unnatural deaths. — Kartik Gandhi, chairman of Janta Rocks Trust