Authorities claim issue will be resolved within months
Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 10: The hanging power cables jumbled with telephone and Cable TV wires fixed over the damaged and tilted electricity poles in most parts of the old Jammu city are a common site which regularly pose a grave threat to the lives of residents of the area. Though the affected people have brought the issue repeatedly before the concerned Power Development Department (PDD), but nothing more than assurances has been delivered to them in this regard so far.
Residents of the old Jammu city have informed that they live under continuous fear from the incidents like fall of such power cables on those in the streets or if the jumbled wires trigger some fire incident due to short circuit.
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“The hanging and jumbled cables in my colony near Residency Road are posing a grave threat and we have to take a lot of care to ensure that children do not touch these wires while on roof,” Michael Wazir, 40, from the Christian Colony area said.
When contacted, Anita Sharma, senior BJP leader and former Councillor of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) from Ward number 11, informed that 3-4 electricity poles in her Ward were in the dire need of urgent replacement owing to their worst condition and she had asked the authorities installing smart power meters to first replace those poles along with certain damaged power cables before installing the smart power meters.
“However, those people installed the smart meters at night overlooking the safety concern of the public,” she said adding that the problem is as it was earlier and is common everywhere in localities like Malhotra Street, Dal Wali Gali and other areas there.
“In Malhotra Street at one particular spot the electricity pole is tied with a rope to prevent it from fall as it has been broken from the middle,” the BJP leader said.
“The issue is dominant in Peer Mitha, Mast Garh, Purani Mandi, Link Road and many other areas. I raised it before the concerned officers of PDD but they always lingered the solution,” Narotam Sharma, another BJP leader and former Councillor from Ward number 3 informed.
He said that for the last two years they were listening that under Smart City Project new cables will be laid and new poles will be fixed but nothing like that has happened so far.
Former Ward number 5 Councillor, Gopal Gupta said that the problem is almost in entire of the old city.
“On every electricity pole, cables can be seen hanging in the old Jammu city with Bawa Jeewan Shah Mohalla, localities near official residence of Chief Minister, Dalpatian Mohalla, Ram Dasian Mohalla, Gha Mandi and Talab Khatikan are few areas to name,” he maintained.
Gupta said that they visited PDD offices many times but nothing positive resulted while the internet cables, Cable TV wires and other such wires have further added to the miseries and the officials from PDD are paid on monthly basis for getting such cables fixed on electricity poles while the fixing of smart meters on these poles has aggravated the issue.
“It is highly risky. If a cable catches fire it can devastate the entire locality,” he continued.
JMC Commissioner, Dr. Devansh Yadav when contacted informed that the issue comes under core Power Department.
“Even the electricity poles in JMC Wards are to be looked after by PDD and we are only responsible for the street lights. Power cables, smart meters, poles are with Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL),” he maintained adding: “Still we will not run away from the responsibility and will see what can be done from our end.”
Executive Engineer PDD, Avneet Gupta, informed that the work for replacement of old power cables and electricity poles, has been allotted and soon it will start in the old Jammu city.
“The work in old city areas like Panjtirthi and other areas has been allotted to POWERGRID and it is underway at New Rehari, Pandoka Colony, Canal Road area and at some other places,” he informed.
The Executive Engineer said that the work will be started within 10 days in old Jammu city and will be completed within 2-3 months under which damaged electricity poles and cables will be replaced by the new ones of good quality.
When contacted, MLA Jammu East, Yudhvir Sethi, informed that all the issues of the Constituency will be resolved soon and he will personally monitor that.
“I have already got four electricity poles in my Constituency replaced so far and I will leave no stone unturned for resolving all the issues of people of my Constituency,” he maintained adding that officers concerned were instructed as far as the hanging wires and damaged poles are concerned and soon things will be set right.
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