Srinagar, Jan 16: While frequent power breakdowns in Kashmir during snowfall make people uncomfortable, ground workers of the Power Development Department, who are under pressure to restore electricity on war-footing basis, have most often to pay heavy price, sometimes even their life, while performing the task.
 As the electricity got snapped after the recent spell of snowfall, two linemen left their homes to climb the snow laden poles at two different locations of Srinagar. One lineman fell down and died while another received burn injuries and is currently hospitalized.
 Nazir Ahmad, 35, a PDD lineman, was repairing a hi-tension line at Tengpora Khan Mohalla when a sudden flash of electricity paralyzed his body and he fell down.
 “He was badly injured,” Ahmad’s colleague Bashir Ahmad said. “We rushed him to Bone and Joints Hospital at Barzulla. He had received injuries and blood was oozing out of his body. As a result, his right leg and left arm was amputated.”
 Despite amputations, Ahmad succumbed to his injuries in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday.
 “He was working at Hazuri Bagh sub-division,” Bashir Ahmad said.
 A resident of New Colony Khanyar, Bashir was an orphan.

 Another PDD lineman, Abdus Samad, sustained grievous injures while repairing power lines at Zakoora Sub-Division, damaged during the snowfall. 
 His colleagues said he was working at Dhar farms when another line coming from a parallel feeder overlapped the line he was repairing.
 “He received electric shocks,” one of his colleague said. “He was tossed on the ground with a force. As a result he sustained injuries in his face and hands.”
 Samad is currently undergoing treatment at SKIMS Soura.
 He is a resident of Ganderbal Darin and was deputed on round-the-clock duty following the snowfall.
 Talking to Greater Kashmir, General Secretary, Electrical Employees Union, Manzoor Ahmed said due to non-availability of equipments, poor electric distribution system, and lack of training, the accidents which claim lives of the linemen or leave them injured have become a common feature during snowfall.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST