SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, March 3: Residents of Jai Durga Colony near Ravi Steel in Pandra have been living in fear of being electrocuted every Monsoon for the past 15-20 years despite the crores of money given to the Electricity department every fiscal year.
Notably, around 15-20 years back, after repeatedly giving applications to the electricity department in the area, local residents decided to erect a wooden electricity pole to solve electricity issues in the area. Since then, the pole has been responsible for supplying electricity to at least 30-40 houses in the locality.
Vivek Kumar, a local resident, has said, “The locals in the area were troubled with electricity shortages and other issues and repeatedly requested electricity officials to help them and set up an electricity pole. When they realized that their requests were falling on deaf ears, they decided to erect a wooden pole to solve some issues, not knowing that the electricity department would let them be and not work for solving their problems.”
“For the past several years, the locals have been paying electricity bills every month and requesting officials to maintain the wooden pole or to make a new one in the area, but to no avail. We have repeatedly filed applications on several occasions requesting officials for a new pole, but they often go round our issues and say nothing has been done,” said Sanjay Singh.
Singh continued saying, “Monsoons are the worst for us. The pole is right outside my house and we have children. It is scary to even think that this is a mishap waiting to happen. We are terrified to even send them out to play.”
Other residents including Nikhil Raj, Akash, and Santosh Thakur further complained of live wires being left by the electricity board in the area as well. They said, “The wooden pole in our colony and another pole in the Defense colony have live wires hanging, but no action has been taken yet by any official in the board.”
Electricity board official Ravi Kumar, when contacted, said, “I personally have no knowledge of the issue and have never received complaints regarding the matter. Rest assured, the locals may come to me and submit an application in this regard and action will be taken.”
