Kohima Electrical Division reports safety violations in electrocution incident

KOHIMA — The Electrical Division of Kohima has given a report stating that a colony gate at the border of Daklane and Naga Bazar, near the Drop Solo Station, where a labourer was critically injured after being electrocuted on July 3 at around 10 am, was constructed without proper safety clearance or departmental approval.

The report was submitted by the sub-divisional officer of Electrical Sub-Division No. 1 Kohima and the junior engineer of Kohima Electrical Division.

The incident occurred when a labourer engaged in painting the colony gate came into direct contact with the 11 KV Paramedical Feeder feeding the 25 KVA 11/04 KV Drop Solo private distribution transformer.

Read related: Youth suffers critical burns after electrocution in Kohima

Also read: Thunderstorm knocks out power across Kohima for nearly six hours

They stated that the gate was constructed without taking proper clearance and claimed that the concerned junior engineer and fuse call staff were only informed on July 1 at around 5:40 pm by the contractor for a shutdown, which was denied since proper clearance, approval, and early intimation had not been given.

However, they stated that the contractor went ahead with the construction without informing the officers or staff of the department, and the gate was lifted on the same night.

On the morning of July 3, the contractor went ahead with painting the gate, again without informing the officials or staff of the department, during which the individual came into direct contact with the 11 KV line.

They maintained that the gate was constructed without following the proper safety clearance of 11 KV lines, noting that there is a distance of approximately three feet between the gate and the 11 KV line, which is a serious hazard in itself.