KARACHI: With an alarming 147 fatalities during 2016-17, the government has evidently failed to curb electrocution incidents in the jurisdiction of state-owned power distribution companies (DISCOs).
According to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (NEPRA) latest Performance Evaluation Report, number of fatalities has increased in four state-owned DISCOs in comparison with preceding year.
As per details, fatalities in Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has been increased from 24 in 2015-16 to 29 in 2016-17. Likewise, Quetta Electric Supply Company reported 11 fatalities in 2016/17 as compared to 5 reported in 2015-16.
Fatalities in Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) and Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO) jurisdiction rose to 16 and 20 in 2016-17 against 12 and 17 reported in 2015-16 respectively.
The lowest number of fatalities in 2016-17 was reported in Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) three and then eight in privatized K-Electric with eight fatalities.
It is pertinent to note that recently a number of electrocution cases have emerged causing fatalities and severe injuries due to negligence of government-owned distribution companies. Earlier this month, high tension cables fell on a house in Sargodha resulting in a 12-year-old boy receiving severe burns.
According to the family, numerous complaints to fix the wires before their collapse had been met with a demand of Rs 50,000 from employees of the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO).
Similarly, an eight-year-old boy, Faiz Muhammad from District Jafarabad, Balochistan lost his left arm due to alleged negligence of QESCO employees. Family of the affected child informed that no one from the federal or provincial government has visited them yet although his child lost his hand due to the negligence of QESCO. He has appealed to the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights to urgently take up the case and help bear the medical expenditure of Faiz. He also sought support of Prime Minister and Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Twelve-year-old Dharam Das, recently staged protest to seek rehabilitation and compensation from Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) as an 11 kV cable fell on him five years back. Another case was reported in same district this year, where 10-year-old Zeeshan Rajput passed away when an 11 kV wire broke and fell on him.
These figures of fatal accidents indicate an alarming situation and show that workplaces in state-owned distribution companies are not safe for employees and general public. Further, the number of fatal accidents illustrates that state-owned DISCOs have been failed to implement respective safety protocols and procedures. According to industry experts, ‘The power regulator on several occasions has taken serious notice and initiated legal proceedings and issued Show Cause Notices to non-compliant distribution companies but a more robust action plan needs to be formulated at the highest level by government to combat this challenge.’