The number of workers of the department of Power getting electrocuted is growing larger everyday. It is matter of grave concern that there is sever lack of coordination among the control rooms and the field workers. The casualties that are not fatal are never reported in the news but a sizable number of accidents at work occur commonly.
It is sad that most of these linesmen are on Muster Roll and are not provided with safety equipment like insulating gloves, boots safety belts because they are not regularized. Is the life of a Muster Roll worker not precious, how come he is not entitled to any safety what so ever? Even labourers working under a contractor are to be insured but unfortunately none of the linesmen are insured. If given enough safety equipments even a mistake in the control room or otherwise would perhaps not result in such casualties.
It is in need shameful that an officer of the level of Additional Chief Engineer of the department of Energy and Power had to file a complaint against workers of his department this just reveals how helpless the department has become. A senior officer of a department is expected to see to it that such accidents do not occur in the first place.
It is ironical that a senior officer has to complain about his own department sadly only after a family member was lost. Rather it is the responsibility of the senior officers that the department be sensitized enough that no one takes things lightly. Not very long ago our relatives working under Temi Sub division were trocuted though not fatally but were crippled, another person died at Singtam, yet another one at Geyzing. We found that in most cases the lines men were working without any safety devices, this should stop immediately and all workers should be provided with safety equipments. It is always a trend to put the blame solely on the junior most officers or the field workers but they cannot be solely held responsible for this situation.
Senior officers should realize that they have been running the department for a very long time therefore they need to do much more than just blame people at a lower evel. Such blame game doesn’t project a very good image of the department in the public eye. The department of Energy and Power needs to strictly follow safety measures for all its works and the workers should be strictly instructed to avoid carelessness. These men who are always at the risk of loosing their lives or getting crippled should be adequately insured. Now that a senior officer of the department has gone through such bitter experience we hope this will prevent other similar incidents in future. Our heart felt condolences to the bereaved family.

Dr. Kalpana Chhetri
Gangtok