Power officials to face harsher action in case of worker’s death

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana power department will take harsher action against its supervisory officials in the event of a mishap leading to death or injury to its workforce.

Senior officials informed HT that a circular is likely to be issued shortly spelling out stricter action, unlike in the past when an inquiry used to be initiated into the mishap which reportedly lingered on for a long time.

“Now on, the supervisory level official would be suspended, pending inquiry, immediately,” an official said.

EIGHT LINEMEN KILLED SINCE JANUARY

As many as eight of linemen of the power department and 23 other workers engaged through contractors lost their lives till August this year in accidents during operations like maintenance and repairs.

In non-fatal mishaps, 32 power employees and 45 other workers engaged through contractors sustained injuries.

Elaborating further, officials said four employees each of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN)lostt heir lives. Among the 23 contractual workers killed were 16 hired by DHBVN and seven by UHBVN.

Among non-fatal accidents, 14 employees each of DHBVN and UHBVN sustained injuries while four employees of the Haryana Vi dyutP ra sara n Ni gam(HVPN) also sustained injuries, taking the total to 32.

As many 24 contractual workers engaged by DHBVN, 16 by UHBVN, th re ebyHVPN and two by Ha ryan a Power Generation al Corporation Ltd (HPGCL) sustained injuries during the past eight months.

Officials said that the workers’ safety would now be the department’s top priority. He added that the department would soon have adequate number of safety gadgets such as insulated gloves, suits, harnesses and sticks.