PANAJI
Over the last five years, dozens of employees of the Goa Electricity Department, mostly linesmen and line-helpers, have suffered injuries in the line of duty due to accidentally coming in contact with live conductors or in some cases due to unexpected leakage of power.
In the same period since 2018, ten of the department's employees have died in such incidents.
This information was given to the Goa legislative assembly by Power Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar in a lengthy reply to Congress' Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira.
According to the information, six of the deaths due to such accidents have taken place last year (2023) alone.
Also one line helper who was a victim of such a mishap in Bicholim has also got maimed.
Dhavalikar said, Sandeep S Kerkar of Madhalawada, Advalpal, suffered serious injuries while attending a fuse call at TIP Mulgao in Bicholim. His right hand has been amputated and he has been assigned with work of attending telephone calls at the Bicholim sub-station.
The minister also said that Kerkar has been paid Rs 7-lakh as ex-gratia in September last year.
Apart from this, the government has paid compensation of Rs 20 lakhs and departmental ex-gratia to the other vitims.
All these cases are result of alleged negligence on part of the electricity department as well as the linemen.
