KMC launches drive to check electrocution mishaps and deaths

KOLKATA: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) began raising awareness on Monday about the do’s and don’ts to prevent electrocution deaths in the city during rains.

The civic body also decided to switch off electric connections in the trident light posts, as soon as there is a warning of thunderstorm activities in the city.

“We have started awareness about the precautionary measures that need to be followed by the citizens during thunderstorm activities to prevent loss of lives from electrocution through the light posts. Such awareness in auto rickshaws using hand mikes will be carried out in all the 144 wards in the city for a period of two months,” Sandip Bakshi, member mayor in council (Lighting and Electricity ), KMC said.

The warnings were issued by the officials using hand mikes while travelling in auto rickshaws.

The KMC has already asked all the councillors and officials of the Lighting department to properly check the lamp posts and verify whether earthing is fine with all such posts. Jacketing of the wires is also being done.“It is a challenging job to check every single lamp post, so if the citizens come across any such irregularities with any such post, they can click pictures and send a WhatsApp message to the number 8335999111 so that immediate intervention can be made,” an official of the Lighting department said. In the previous year, during the monsoon, there were at least three deaths due to electrocution in the city – in Haridebpur, Entally, and Rajabazar areas in the city.In some wards under borough X, the civic body has wrapped up lamp posts with electric shockproof mats.

Meanwhile, an elderly woman and her daughter died possibly of electrocution while trying to save another family member who got an

electric shock.