Four years on, high tension wires still run over city homes

Even though 20 people have died and 48 injured after getting electrocuted in the past four years, the policy of removal of high tension wires criss-crossing the city has still not been completely implemented.

Even though 20 people have died and 48 injured after getting electrocuted in the past four years, the policy of removal of high tension wires criss-crossing the city has still not been completely implemented.

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The issue of the problems being created by the presence of these wires in residential areas was raised in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday.

“The policy was introduced four years back, but to date, nothing has been done. When the MLA is ready to give his funds for the removal of these wires, then why isn’t the power department doing anything about it. So many people have died because of this,” said Jagdish Mukhi, senior MLA, BJP.

Another BJP MLA Manoj Shokeen said that even as the policy has been framed, the department is still not removing these high tension wires.

“If they have removed high tension wires from the colonies, then why don’t they provide us with the data. They have not done anything in the past four years,” said Shokeen.

Playing down the issue, power minister Haroon Yusuf said that such incidents took place only in areas where people had violated the provision of ensuring proper distance between the wires and the houses.

A number of MLAs were also upset with the fact that power distribution companies had served notices in a number of rural areas, stating that there houses are in close proximity with the high tension wires.

According to the MLAs, as per the present policy on the removal of high tension wires, these can be removed only from unauthorised colonies for which funds are to be given by MLAs and the power department.