Despite Bescom asserting that linemen are given modern safety gear and that the safety of workers is the utmost priority, data speaks otherwise.
On average, eight linemen have lost their lives every year since 2015, owing to electrical accidents on duty.
According to data accessed by DH, the number of fatal accidents among departmental workers has been consistently high.
However, the number of deaths has remained constant and Bescom’s efforts to secure the lives of its workers have not yielded results on the ground.
Senior Bescom officials attributed such accidents to reverse power feeding and overlapping of lines in a few areas.
“The major reason for such accidents is reverse power feeding. Though our officials switch off all respective power lines while taking up repair works, sometimes, electricity flows back from houses and buildings which use UPS or generators. Such incidents result in electrocution,” explained Nagarjuna D, technical director, Bescom.
That apart, at points where electricity lines overlap, there are instances where the workers are electrocuted owing to the electricity flowing through the other line, officials said.
Asked why they have not been able to bring down such instances, a senior Bescom official said there was nothing much the department could do.
“We provide them with all possible safety gear, training and take preventive measures. However, reverse feeding and such incidents are beyond our capacity. Also, sometimes, our linemen tend to be overconfident and neglect a few measures. Since they work in a critical environment, we advise them to ensure that they take all precautionary measures,” yet another senior Bescom official said.
On the other hand, non-fatal departmental accidents have shown a downward trend from 57 accidents in 2015-16 to 31 in 2021-22. In case of fatal accidents, the victim’s family is given monetary compensation, considering the person’s age and service. Apart, one of the dependents is also given a job on compassionate grounds.
However, in case of non-fatal accidents, Bescom tries to provide the linemen with an alternative job in the company based on their condition.