Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, July 8: Residents of village Dhangri near Rajouri have raised an urgent alarm over the critically unsafe electrical infrastructure in their area, citing multiple violations of legal and technical safety norms that pose severe risks to public safety.
In a formal letter addressed to the Executive Engineer, Electric Division, JPDCL, Rajouri, the people have demanded immediate action to address hazardous conditions and halt ongoing smart meter installations until safety compliance is ensured.
The residents highlight several life-threatening issues. High-Tension (HT) wires and poles, including 11 KV lines near Govt Girls Middle School and Govt Higher Secondary School, Dhangri, and 33 KV near Dhangri Chowk, are dangerously unsupported, hanging in the air due to illegal earth excavation by a local brick kiln owner.
Low-Tension (LT) wires are carelessly tied to trees across the village, with sagging conductors and inadequate ground clearance, violating safety regulations. In some areas, HT and LT lines are dangerously fixed on the same roadside poles, creating a risk of fatal electrocution or appliance damage if an HT wire falls or a vehicle collides with a pole. Frequent power outages triggered by mild winds further indicate fragile infrastructure and a lack of preventive maintenance.
Despite these hazardous conditions, the installation of smart meters continues, which the residents argue endangers lives and property. The community asserts that these issues violate key provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Safety Regulations, 2010, Indian Electricity Rules, 1956, and J&K Electricity Supply Code, 2022.
The residents, represented by Dheeraj Sharma, Ex-Sarpanch, have urgently requested a technical inspection of the entire 33 KV, 11 KV, HT and LT infrastructure in village Dhangri, reinforcement or reinstallation of unsupported poles, proper installation of LT poles with removal of wires from trees, separation of HT and LT lines from shared poles, and an immediate halt to smart meter installations until full safety compliance is achieved.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
