uncovered power junction boxes putting lives at risk | nashik news - times of india
by:JVTIA2020-10-27
Nasik: Accidents are waiting to happen in cities. Some uncovered electrical junction boxes are located in busy areas, markets, parks and near bus stops. Despite the power supply of Maharashtra Distribution Co. , Ltd. (MSEDCL) It is claimed that the number of undetected boxes is more than 200, and senior officials of power companies set the figure at around 100. There are about 5,000 electrical junction boxes belonging to msedcl in the whole city, and Nashk Municipal Corporation also has some other junction boxes. (NMC). Citizens questioned whether the two agencies had covered the boxes properly to prevent accidents. They point out that wiring boxes without lids are dangerous to road users, especially children and local residents who attend school, because they may be shocked if they touch live wires hanging outside the boxes. Experts say that if rainwater seeps into the circuit, it may even explode. \"Unfortunately, these institutions pay so little attention to issues related to civil security. How can such boxes not be covered? These devices are less than three feet high. So they pose a danger to children playing nearby, \"said Kailash Rajhans, a painful resident of the city\'s Govind Nagar district. Satpur resident Smriti Patil also expressed a similar view, saying that because these boxes are close to the road, people are likely to come into contact with them after being hit by a vehicle. \"In the past, I have complained orally to the MSEDCL local authorities about this undetected box many times,\" she said. Power consumer activist Siddharth Varma reminded MSEDL that in the past, the Supreme Court ruled that power companies would be fully responsible for power accidents in open spaces. \"MSEDCL is the responsibility- Make sure all these boxes are properly covered, \"he said. According to msedcl officials, the covers of these junction boxes are often stolen by criminals. The lids of these boxes are made of iron and can sell anything between 50 and 500 rupees on the gray market. In areas close to slums, this kind of theft is common. Sometimes we even change three lids a month. It\'s more of a social problem, \"MSEDCL officials added. The MSEDCL authorities have lodged complaints with the police, but the criminals have not yet been arrested. S. Saviram, Executive Engineer of MSEDL, denies that power companies have been lax in solving this problem. \"Once we know that the box is missing, we put a lid on it. We gave a contract to a company to handle the boxes in the shortest possible time. At present, the number of boxes without lids may be less than 100. He said: \"We plan to have a special drive to cover the junction box. \" The official added that the company was currently placing acrylic boards on boxes because plastic boards could catch fire in the event of a short circuit. Download the latest city\'s Times of India news application.