Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Dec 13: A daily wager lineman working with Power Development Department (PDD) in Kathua district was electrocuted to death in Dhani Bakhta area of Kathua district early today, an official said.
The deceased has been identified as Som Dutt, son of Sukhraj, resident of Rati Dhani Bakhta. He received an electric shock while making repairs at a power pole in his village.
The PDD employees have expressed their profound shock over his death and there is a brewing resentment among the employees of the department against the increasing accidents of field staff and they held the Government responsible for not taking necessary steps to avert such accidents in the department.
President Provincial Electrical Employees Union (PPEEU), Jammu, P C Sharma while expressing his shock and grief over the death of the power employee on duty has criticized the Government of not taking the suggestions of the Union into consideration in averting such incidents.
He said that the Government should provide training and safety tools to the field staff. He said it is second case of death of a lineman in the Kathua district during last 20 days as on November 23 one lineman also died after falling from an electric poll.
He demanded that the daily wagers of the department who die in harness be given the benefit of SRO 43 as is done in the militancy related cases. He also demanded that the next kin of the both victims be provided a Government job with adequate ex-gratia relief to the family.
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