Prevention of electrical accidents top most priority

Hyderabad, June 22 : In order to avoid inconvenience to the general Public/Consumers and prevent electrical accidents during the existing monsoon the Power Utilities have taken up all precautionary measures to prevent breakdowns and to maintain satisfactory power supply to the maximum extent possible.

Disclosing the above details, during teleconference with CMDs of DISCOMs V Anil Kumar, Ahmed Nadeem, Kartikeya Misra, K V S Reddy, CMD/APTRANSCO Hiralal Samariya, has emphasised the need to expedite the monsoon maintenance works such as trimming of tree branches near the power lines, reinforcement of earthing in substations, restringing of loose lines, educating consumers especially farmers to safeguard themselves from possible electrical hazards and conducting pole to pole inspections by deploying special teams.

The CMD has said that prevention of electrical accidents is the top most priority of utilities and suggested officials to take up specific programmes on safety measures in the system.

The progress of various ongoing developmental activities such as Re-structured Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (R-APDRP), High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS), Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), etc, including preventive and breakdown maintenance during this monsoon period will be discussed in the Andhra Pradesh Power Coordination Committee, meeting to be held on June 25 at Vidyut Soudha, he said.

He also directed the contractors to complete erection of the transmission lines and substations in the stipulated time, otherwise, the contracts will be cancelled and said that 15 contractors have been black listed by APTRANSCO for noncompliance of the projects.

It is highly painful to note that whatever the reasons may be, electrical accidents are taking place in some areas in the power system causing loss of human life and property. Each and every engineer/employee of electricity sector should take up this issue very seriously. It is high time for DISCOMs to create awareness regarding safety measures to be taken among the consumers especially farmers. During substation level meetings the farmers and general public should be apprised of the importance of electrical safety and the measures to be taken to avoid accidents. Special efforts should be made to strictly implement some of the following guidelines of safety manual of power utilities without any deviation, he said. INN