New Delhi
A chariot collided with an overhead high-voltage electric wire on Wednesday in Tripura's Unakoti area, resulting in at least six fatalities—two of them children—and 15 injuries.
The event allegedly happened during the "Ulto Rath" procession, which marks the Hindu god Jagannath and his two siblings' "return" journey following the yearly Rath Yatra festival, according to the police. Iron was used to construct the chariot, which had elaborate decorations. Six people were instantly killed when it made contact with an overhead electric wire and an electrical surge.
Recently, a 17-year-old boy was electrocuted to death on Sunday morning in southeast Delhi's Taimoor Nagar about an hour before a 35-year-old woman died in the same manner at the New Delhi railway station.
Speaking to WION, the Division Head BSES (O&M), Ajit Singh Kadian, shed some light on these regular incidents, “There are a number of agencies involved in such incidents, particularly the MCD and PWD. We must keep a check on the leakage issues, the iron poles, the power lines etc, we should do it and we do it.”
On being asked about the authorities responsible, Kadian added, “Waterlogging is a big issue in Delhi, proper maintenance should be done. MCD and PWD should properly look after this issue and ensure that electric poles are not left behind immersed in water, which are active and may cause fatal cases like these. There are several unauthorised colonies and buildings which have hanging and loose wires, there is not enough space to place a proper transformer, hence due to lack of land way this issue creates more danger.”
Sakshi, a 35-year-old mother of two and a teacher, was electrocuted outside the New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) three days prior to her family's departure on vacation. According to reports, she was electrocuted while holding onto an electric pole for support in a soggy section of the parking lot of the railroad station.
The danger of loose wires is once again brought to light by the fatalities. A significant risk to both life and property exists because of these high-voltage lines. Unfavourable situations, such as electrocution in the midst of torrential rain and flooding, are especially common during the monsoon. The problem is still unresolved despite repeated petitions from the general public and yearly accidents.
In the last decade, 34 people died of electrocution per day
As per the NCRB data, in the last decade (2011 - 2020), about 100,000 people lost their lives due to electrocution. It reflects that nearly 11,000 electrocution deaths happen every year, this number rose to 12,492 in 2022.
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This equates to 34 fatalities daily on average. According to news agency ANI, when the police arrived on the scene, they found that the street was flooded after a significant downpour. The agency received confirmation from the police officers that the catastrophe was caused by the water that had accumulated becoming an electrical conductor.
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A 30-year-old guy died of electrocution the same day Sakshi passed away in Pune's Kondhwa after coming into contact with a wire fence in a residential community while seeking shelter from the rain.
Following the occurrence, BSES issued a warning advising people to take steps to prevent any mishaps. The advisory is as follows:
● Stay away from electrical installations like electricity poles, substations, transformers, streetlights, etc.
● Caution children from playing near electricity installations, even if they are barricaded. Advise them not to play in parks that are waterlogged.
● Get the entire wiring in your premises thoroughly checked and tested by the Licensed Electrical Contractor.
● Put off the main switch in case there is water logging or leakage observed in the meter cabin. Put on the main switch only after ensuring that all faults have been rectified properly.
● Install an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) to help avoid shocks and mishaps.
● Keep a "Tester" at home. If a switch is wet, do not touch it. First, use a "Tester" to check if there is an electricity leakage. If need be, call your electrician.
● Power theft by hooking can be a serious safety hazard, especially during the monsoon months.
● In case of an emergency or a power disruption, consumers can reach BSES through- BRPL: 19123, BYPL: 19122. In order to solve issues brought on by the monsoon, BSES has put in place a number of measures, such as adequate fencing around transformers that are located on poles and plinths, the deployment of quick-reaction teams to handle emergencies, and the creation of war rooms to quickly assess complaints and identify answers.
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