Rao Dilshad Hussain

In the era of machines, we are highly dependent on electricity and there is no doubt that electricity has become the most essential element to run our daily lives. On one hand it makes human lives easier, but on the other hand a slight gaffe can bring serious repercussions of inflicting shocks of thousand of volts particularly during the monsoon season leading to deaths of many.

The need of the hour is to take necessary precautionary measures while working on any electric project. But due to the negligence of the concerned department and the usage of low-quality wire during the constructions, the numbers of electrocution cases have been on a steady rise on a daily basis across the country. In the monsoon season the ratio of electrocutions are increasing and particularly in Lahore every hospital at least gets two to three cases of electrocution on a daily basis.

In this regard, these cases are registered lesser in number during the winter season. Sadly WAPDA has done nothing to prevent these incidents and the occurrences have become a routine matter. During this monsoon more than 200 hundred people including minors have lost their lives and hundreds are critically injured even the apex court is hearing some incident in which the kids have lost their legs. Sunday plus talked to some pertinent expertise to probe into the facts about the increasing number of the electrocution cases.

“The electrical switches are likely to capture more vapour and moisture from the air particularly in the monsoon season that is why short-circuiting has become more rampant and these days slight mistakes and negligence can lead to death on the spot. One of the major reasons behind rapid increment of the electrocution cases is due to the negligence of WAPDA. But it should be kept in mind that a person can get electrocuted though any reason. Some times heavy voltage of electric shocks doesn’t cause deaths while at times even low electric shocks can lead to loss his lives,” Electrical engineer Hammad Masood told while talking to the Sunday plus.

He further informed that, “If everyone turns the electrical switches off, there would be a tremendous reduction in deaths and would also reduce your electricity bills by 20 percent. During constructions people use bad quality of wires that result in short causing. Mostly labourers are electrocuted during construction works. Everybody should use the approved wires whether he is constructing plazas or homes. Mostly inconsistencies have been reported in WAPDA’s working. Main lines are broken and live wires cause deaths of many. Recently a main line fell down at a tractor trolley in the flood affected area where many people were electrocuted sustaining critically injuries due to electric shocks.”

“There are various reasons due to which electrocution cases have been on a rise such as open wiring, unsafe street poles, low-grade motor pumps, and large cluster of wires in old markets, under construction buildings, low quality usage of wires and fitting of the transformers near to the surface of the roads and houses, parks and other public places. People should avoid all these inconsistencies and prefer to utilise proper approved electric wires,” he added.

“Everyday we receive three to four patients that are hit by electric shocks at Mayo Hospital’s emergency. Those patients that are hit by light electric shocks can easily be treated but if the patients are hit by more than 220-voltage of electric shocks then it is too difficult to save their lives because electricity inflicts damages major body organs especially liver and heart. So the patient suffers a lot if they reach hospitals late for first aid. Patients should immediately be hospitalised within the few minutes,” Dr. S. Kunwar told while talking to the Sunday plus.

LESCO Assistant Director Zia Gondal confided that when monsoon is about to initiate LESCO launches a proper campaign in which the Chief Executive of LESCO issues directives to the PR department to advertise the precautionary measures that people should follow. The ads must be published in all the national dailies before the monsoon. Strict actions are taken against the line superintendents and SDOs if they don’t check the main lines and pole conditions.

“But unfortunately the electrocution cases are on a steep rise than before. Mostly children are affected because they don’t know about the street poles that are in fact always dangerous. We post danger signs at every pole but while playing on the street kids normally embrace poles unconsciously and they receive electric shock. So beware of it and people should not allow their kids to play near the electric poles whether it is monsoon or winter,” he added.