Golanthra Bus Electrocution bares how Odisha Energy Dept gives two hoot to IE rules 1956

Bhubaneswar: For the State Energy Department, the Golanthra electrocution tragedy has been the latest in its overflowing cup of woes. After emerging as the number one killer of elephants in Odisha, the toll of 10 human lives at Golanthra puts the glare on the lackadaisical approach of the Energy Department.

The preliminary inquiry report on the incident is out. And the report shows while laying the high voltage transmission lines, the safety clauses under the Indian Electricity (IE) Rules 1956 were clearly violated.

As per the IE Rules 1956, no conductor of an overhead line, including service lines erected across a street shall at any part thereof, be at a height less than 6.096 meters or 20 feet for high voltage transmission lines (11 kv onward) and 19 feet or 5.791 mts for low and medium voltage lines.

Significantly, the inquiry report found that the height of the ill-fated bus at only 12 ft, and if the luggage carrier at the top is included, the height still then remains below 13 ft. But the bus getting entangled with the high voltage transmission line at such a low height shows, the laying of the 11kV line quite clearly violated the IE rules 1956.

Moreover, the technical team has found the installation of the killer high tension pole at the spot not in full conformity to IE rules 1956.

While Energy Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra in his press briefing said, "The inquiry report has found fault with the Rural Development department. In 2018, the RD department had converted the rural road to concrete road, thereby, raising the road surface height by 3-4 mts. The concerned electric division has been pursuing the matter with RD department but to no avail."

Even, two officials of the RD department has been placed under suspension along with two officials under the Berhampur Electricity Division.

The statement by the Energy Minister clearly points finger at the RD department. But the moot point here is had the 20 ft norm been adhered to then even after a rise in road height, the new height of the overhead high tension line would have been at 16 feet. But the height of the ill-fated bus could at the maximum measures upto 13 feet only.

The above breakdown of the facts of the inquiry report indicates a clear violation of the Indian Electricity Rules 1956.

The irony of the story is it takes a toll of ten lives for the energy department to wake up and launch an electricity safety audit throughout the State and disseminate electricity safety protocol to all stakeholders.

State Energy Minister Dibyashankar Mishra informed that the department will carry out a safety audit throughout the State. He also added that seminars on electricity safety protocols will be launched soon at the village level.

The noteworthy mention here is the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has often directed all states, including Odisha, to appoint a chief electrical safety officer to conduct a thorough audit of high tension overhead lines passing through forest to curb rising jumbo electrocutions.

The Golanthra electrocution incident bares how the energy department has given two hoots to safety norms under the IE rules 1956.