Human fatalities on account of electrocution rose to 33 from 9 in Odisha inside two years

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: With complaints galore over unscheduled energy cuts throughout this summer season, one of many cruellest in recent times, achievements of energy distribution corporations of the State in stopping electrical hazards are removed from passable.

As many as 118 instances of human fatality on account of electrical accidents had been reported from completely different components of the State in 2020-21 in opposition to 91 deaths within the earlier yr. Tata Power, having administration management over 4 distribution corporations, has reported to the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) about 215 individuals going through electrical accidents throughout 2020-21 of which, 97 had been non-fatal.

As per the general commonplace of efficiency report submitted to OERC, there’s a sharp enhance in human fatality on account of electrocution within the space of distribution by TPCODL. The utility has reported 33 human casualties in 2020-21 as in opposition to solely 9 in 2019-20 posing an enormous query mark on its security measures.

Highest variety of human deaths on account of electrocution is reported from areas beneath TPNODL. The variety of fatalities has elevated from 34 to 36 within the final two years. Similarly, the variety of casualties has gone up from 28 in 2019-20 to 35 in 2020-21 within the distribution space of TPSODL.

The western Odisha districts beneath TPWODL has proven a decline within the variety of electrical accidents in addition to lack of human lives. The demise determine is much less in comparison with different three discoms. The utility has reported 14 unintended deaths in 2020-21 in opposition to 20 within the earlier fiscal.

However, the report is silent on deaths or accidents of area workers of the 4 discoms of their line of responsibility. Sources mentioned the utilities are reluctant to share data on human casualty throughout 2021-22. However, there was a fall within the variety of animal deaths in electrocution which has come down from 56 in 2019-20 to 36 in 2020-21.

Curiously, the annual income requirement and tariff functions filed by the discoms are silent on the protection measures and funds required for security gear. Nikhila Odisha Bidyut Shramika Mahashangha general-secretary Akashya Tripathy mentioned that about 759 electrical accidents befell from 2010-2020 out of which, 439 human beings died whereas 356 had been non-fatal.

Only 56 households acquired compensation whereas relations of the the remainder of the deceased are nonetheless ready for ex-gratia. 

Whither Safety?

Highest human deaths reported from TPNODL areas, lowest  beneath TPWODL

Tata Power silent on deaths/accidents of area workers of the 4 discoms