Karnataka: Mishaps continue unabated as ESCOMS trip on rising infrastructure

Kalaburagi: Rising population and infrastructure growth pose a tough challenge to electricity supply companies in preventing electrical mishaps.

In the last decade, more human deaths have occurred due to electrical mishaps under GESCOM and HESCOM limits, which cover 14 districts of North Karnataka.

In this region, 1,154 human deaths and thousands of injuries have been reported, out of the approximately 2,500 human fatalities in the state since 2021-22. 

Fatalities have not declined even after GESCOM spent Rs 228 crore over the last decade to prevent accidents in the seven districts under its purview.

Thousands of animal deaths are also reported across all five electricity supply companies. A total of 265 human deaths were reported in Bengaluru in the last two years.

GESCOM officials maintained that several factors — old power lines, encroachments and failure of electrical linemen to take precautionary measures before start of monsoon and summer — are responsible for power mishaps.

The company’s superintendent engineer Mumtaz A H said GESCOM was doing its best to prevent power tragedies despite staff shortage and population growth.

She said linemen face growing burden as urbanisation requires them to handle more areas.

The official said Kalyana Karnataka region has traditional overhead power lines, unlike underground lines in densely populated urban areas, commercial and high-tech industrial hubs of Bengaluru, where space for traditional overhead lines is either unavailable or restricted.

Mumtaz said the company is increasing the use of covered conductors and aerial bunched cables to improve system reliability, reduce technical and commercial (AT&C) losses and prevent electrical accidents.

This initiative involves replacing existing overhead HT/LT lines with covered conductors or underground cables, she said.

Officials said long overhead power lines in the region are a significant cause of electrical accidents, frequently leading to line snapping, which results in fatalities, serious burns and fire hazards.

High summer temperatures in the region severely impact overhead power infrastructure leading to insulator failure, excessive conductor sag, premature transformer failure or explosions and subsequent electrical accidents.

“We need to analyse data on human and animal fatalities alongside population and infrastructure growth in the last decade. Encroachments are occurring near old power lines. We are in a state of under-drawal of power against the power crisis earlier. All these factors contribute to electrical accidents. We are following government policy regarding safety norms. The HT/LT line ratio has declined to 1.125, which reduced energy losses, improved voltage stability and decreased transformer failures,” Mumtaz said.

HESCOM managing director Vyshali M L attributed most electrical accidents to the large network of irrigation systems in North Karnataka, particularly on farms, due to electrocution related to pumpsets and illegal connections.

Awareness programmes

“We are conducting awareness programmes about safety measures apart from undertaking reconductoring to upgrade power infrastructure. This includes replacing older, lower-capacity conductors with higher-capacity conductors by identifying hazardous zones like schools and colleges,” she said.

Kalyana Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Sharanabasappa Pappa attributes electrical mishaps to GESCOM’s negligence.

He said the increase in business establishments over the last few decades is driving a significant surge in power demand, leading to higher electricity consumption and increased requirements for upgraded or new connections.

“Despite substantial investments in safety measures, electric mishaps have not shown a significant, proportional decline. The excess load on transformers has increased due to rising power connections, resulting in electric short-circuits. Laxity by officials in upgrading capacity leads to frequent failures and power outages,” he said.

Activists and safety experts have raised concerns over electrical accidents and flagged neglect of safety measures by escoms. 

They claimed outdated infrastructure, breaching of safety protocols and inadequate resource allocation contribute to mishaps.

“Shabby work is undertaken without adhering to standards while constructing or expanding distribution network. Electrical accidents are a human rights issue. The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission must take remedial measures based on safety audit by a third party or independent agency,” Deepak Gala, president of Hyderabad-Karnataka environment awareness and protection organisation, said.