PDD Linemen the warriors: Their problems and solutions

The state of Jammu and Kashmir has a tremendous potential for the development of electricity due its rich perennial water resources. Electricity is one of the very important drivers for the development of our state and the country as well. Without electricity, almost all sectors like industry, IT, health, tourism etc. will collapse in the digital age. For generation of electricity, the state government has established many hydroelectric power projects like Mohra, Baglihar, Dulhasti, Salal, Kishanganga etc. with the assistance of the central government that helped in generation of large amounts of electricity from the perennial rivers of Jammu and Kashmir. In order to ensure continuous power supply to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Many schemes have been launched by the central and state government for strengthening the basic infrastructure in cities and villages like DDUGJY (Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojna), SAUBHAGYA Scheme (Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna), UDAY(Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojna), DUGJY(Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna) etc. besides, thousands of men force in the form of daily wagers have been appointed by the government in the Power Development Department and majority of them have been working on ground level and always risking their lives to ensure people to get uninterrupted power supply and essential services are not affected. Whether in hot summer or chilling winter season, the daily wagers of the power development department are always on forefront clinging to the electric poles repairing damaged wires or rectifying the snags in electric transformers in cities, towns, and villages. During recent snowfall, they left no stone unturned restored the power supply of the valley amid intense biting cold.They act as warriors to the Power development department however, they are not free from the risk and many lost their lives at the very young age and many lost arms and legs and majority of them got disabled for the whole life due to sheer negligence of the officials of Power development department. The daily wagers as linemen which act as backbone to the concerned department are always working without safety gears and protective equipment like shock proof gloves, rain hoods, insulated trousers and shoes, ladders etc. They have not been covered under any government scheme like Insurance scheme. After serving more than a decade, their services have still not been regularized and at most times, they do not get their meager wages at the right time as all others of the department get.
In case of death of a daily wager, the victim families have been always left alone in difficult circumstances without any financial assistance. They do not get any compensation neither from the department nor from the government for their treatment. They often have to sell their land for treatment and to meet their ends. The education of their children is badly hit and has to stop in the middle of the way and they even do not get the basic necessities of life due to abject poverty. The victim families are also not rehabilitated and are always left at the mercy of Almighty Allah. Daily wagers are first human beings and secondly employees of the concerned power development department. They also have their own rights and duties as other officials of the department have and enjoy within norms and regulations of the department. However, this does not mean that untrained and ill-equipped daily wagers’ lives are at risk for repairing live wires. It hardly passes a month in the Kashmir valley when people do not listen to sad news via Facebook, whatsapp, telegram, newspapers etc. regarding loss of a line man due to negligence of PDD officials but till date, no negligent official has been found and punished for deliberate negligence. Who is responsible for the loss of innocent linemen lives? There are many responsible causes for loss of innocent linemen lives. First and foremost is the lack of necessary safety gears for the linemen daily wagers, non-availability of safety gears like insulated gloves, shoes, ladders etc. is the main cause of linemen deaths due to electric shocks. Lack of proper awareness and training about repairing of electric wires and safety measures. During repairing lines or removing snags in transformers, there is always lack of proper communication among the linemen and the officials at power grid stations that becomes the immediate cause of loss of linemen lives. It is pertinent to mention here that, there has always been deliberate negligence by the officials at grid stations for assigning the negligent, unaware and untrained officials duty for on and off electricity switches that also causes loss of innocent lives. Despite crores of rupees collected by PDD from customers in the form of electricity fees and grants received from the state and central government every year, there is not a single penny spent on welfare measures of daily wagers .Power development department launched e services for the benefit of customers like Online bill payment, online complaint redressal, online security deposit calculation, submitting online form for getting online electricity connection etc. but unfortunately, it failed to launch any welfare service measures for their real linemen warriors and unfortunately, linemen daily wagers genuine demands are being paid no heed for redressal. There are several measures that, if implemented honestly, can save lives and bring a sigh of relief to linemen daily wagers of the Power development department, improve work culture in the department and ensure continuous power supply in the valley despite inclement weather conditions for the benefit of all people. Strengthening of basic infrastructure like electric poles, wires and transformers on war footing basis across the valley will prevent electricity related accidents to linemen and other men. Allotting of safety gears like insulated gloves, shoes, ladders to all linemen avoid loss of linemen lives. Regularization of their services and bringing them under special welfare and insurance schemes. Imbibe a fair compensation to their families in case of injuries or death accidents and provision of SRO 43 in favor of the dependents of deceased family. Electricity related awareness, education, and training among linemen warriors. Besides, assigning responsible and accountable employees at grid stations and stringent punishment to negligent officials involved in speaking lies to linemen about power supply cuts during repairing of electric lines and transformers. Let us hope and expect that the government will come up with good news in future for the linemen and the power development department will also act on constructive measures for the wellbeing of all linemen and other stakeholders involved.
(The author is a teacher at Government Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwah. Views are his own)
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