PANAJI
In a stringent move, the Goa government has suspended three Assistant Engineers of the Electricity Department for alleged negligence linked to recent deaths of linemen and on-duty workers.
The suspended officers are Emlesh Gaonkar of the Sanguem Division, Vikram Karekar of the Vasco Division, and Suraj Palekar of the Verna Division.
Vigilance Director Amarsen Rane, IAS, issued the suspension orders and the engineers' suspension is pending ongoing inquiries. The action follows a spate of fatal accidents involving electricity workers.
On Saturday, a labourer was killed and four others injured in an electrocution incident at Xelpem, Sanguem while they were engaged in erecting a pole near a high‑tension line allegedly without shutting down power.
The deceased was identified as Manoj Kumar Mahato, a native of Jharkhand. Injured workers included Saijeet Naik from Ponda, Dhaneshwar Chintaman Mahato and Yugal Buddahan Mahato from Jharkhand, and Sunil Singh from Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the action of Sanguem police to register a case against Junior Engineer Akshay and the contractor Nardev Singh, alleging inadequate supervision and failure to shut down the line had triggered anger among engineers as responsibility for shutdowns lies higher up in the chain of command.
Thursday's suspension of three AEs, meanwhile, has intensified debate over accountability in the department with engineers and staff fearing scapegoating of field employees while systemic lapses where higher officials are in-chage are left unaddressed.
The spotlight inevitably returns to safety practices in Goa’s electricity sector, where linemen and helpers are often deployed without protective gear or proper line clearances leading to these repeated tragedies.
With three Assistant Engineers now suspended, engineers in the department are hoping that the inquiry examines whether lapses in supervision and safety protocols contributed to the deaths even as pressure mounts to enforce clear guidelines and ensure accountability at all levels.
The government's decision to suspend three AEs, nonetheless, marks a significant escalation in response, but questions whether deeper structural reforms will follow, remain.
