Keonjhar: A raw bamboo pole is used to raise a low-lying 440 volt electric line at Bhalupali village under Sadar block in Keonjhar district, posing electrocution threat to lives of human beings here.
The 440 volt line goes from the 63KV transformer on Dhatika UP School premises to Kadagad Bhalupali sahi. The wire had been lying low since last couple of days. It was when the electricity department turned a deaf ear to the villagers’ request to erect a utility pole to place the wire in proper position, the villagers found a way out.
They have been using a green bamboo to lift the wire to safe heights to avoid any mishaps. At the same time they have urged the electricity department to replace the bamboo pole with a utility pole as soon as possible because the threat is anyway still there.
According to the villagers, the poles uprooted during cyclone Fani have been put in place. But at some places, poles are missing which is why the wires are sagging at places. At places, they are too close to the ground posing a threat to lives.
They have taken up the issue with the electricity department officials on a number of occasions to no avail. Starting from the lines man to higher officials, each of them seem to be avoid visiting the ground citing one or the other reason.
Notably, last year also the villagers used a bamboo pole to bring electricity to their village as utility poles had not been provided. After doing many rounds of the electricity department, the bamboo poles were replaced with utility poles.
PNN