Instances of live power transmission lines snuffing out lives are on the rise in the City but neither Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) nor Bruhut Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are willing to take corrective measures. Both the agencies, instead, blame the other for the tragic accidents.
While the BESCOM says the accidents are on the rise because of blatant violation of building bylaws, the BBMP blames the proliferation in illegal buildings on the power utility providing illegal connections.
BBMP officials maintain that as long as illegal power connections are easy to get, cases of illegal constructions, encroachments and accidents involving live power lines will continue.
Overhead electric wires could be fatal if human beings or animals come in contact with them. If the wires snap or fall down, power supply should be immediately discontinued to render the wires harmless. One wonders if such a technology is available and or whether BESCOM has taken any measure to ensure that live wires won't turn fatal once they snap of fall down.
Going underground
BESCOM Managing Director V M Chandra Gowda says adequate measures have been taken to prevent electrocution. “Wherever there are loose wires we make sure they are straightened up. We even erect intermediate poles wherever there are strong winds and possibly where short-circuit is high and if the distance between two electric poles are too wide that the gap is also reduced," says Gowda.
He says the chances of the overhead lines going underground is bleak as the cost would be 20 times more. Straightening of the lines is better and a cheaper option. While a 11 kv overhead wire costs Rs two lakh per kilometre length, a 11 kv underground cable comes at Rs 30 lakh per kilometre.
"If we go underground then we will have to increase the tariff rates which is not a practical option because people will be unwilling to pay that much more money towards electricity bill, besides there is no space in the City," says Gowda.
Gowda alleges that most freak mishaps involving live power transmission lines take place due to encroachments and building bylaw violations. He says 30 by 40 ft site owners invariably extend their buildings a good three to four feet into the footpath space virtually below power transmission lines. He says that there must be at least five feet distance between any building and electric pole, that space is now only two feet in most places in the City.
Aerial Bunch Cables
Aerial Bunch Cables (ABC wires) will soon replace the existing overhead bear wires. They are supposed to be a safer alternative. "Aerial bunch cables will be pulled in between overhead lines and underground cables. Twenty crores have been set aside for ABC wires this year. This amount will be increased to Rs 50 crore to lay ABC cables across the City," Gowda says and adds that a team has been sent out to survey the accident prone areas in the City where ABC wires need to be put.
BBMP Commissioner Dr S Subramanya maintains: “BESCOM never waits for clearance from the BBMP before giving power to the respective building. If these encroachers can get power illegal then what would stop them from encroaching more spaces?" He says he has written to BESCOM to avoid giving out power to buildings that have no sanction from BBMP but this is not being adhered to.
The blame game goes on in spite of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India providing that no citizen shall be deprived of his/her life and liberty without due process of law.
The carelessness and negligence of both the BBMP and BESCOM is indirectly depriving innocent people of their lives who have nothing to do with the supply of electricity or the illegal construction of buildings.
ELECTROCUTED
* Twelve-year-old Yasin was electrocuted when his kite came in contact with a high tension wire in K G Halli.
* A 22-year-old woman was electrocuted when she touched a clothesline in her house that was in contact with a live wire in front of her house.
* Nine-year old Manjunath’s life was snuffed out when he accidently stepped on a live wire that snapped when he was playing outside his house in J P Nagar.
* Nadeem Sharieff , a call centre employee lost his life when his bike’s front wheel got entangled with a bunch of loose live wires.
Instances of live power transmission lines snuffing out lives are on the rise in the City but neither Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) nor Bruhut Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are willing to take corrective measures. Both the agencies, instead, blame the other for the tragic accidents. 
