PANAJI
Chief Electrical Engineer (CEE) Stephen Fernandes has said that the 'back field' power transmitted from the inverter of a nearby establishment 'Fitness Factory' charged the neutral wire which eventually electrocuted the deceased linesman Manoj Zambaulikar at Bicholim on Friday.
Fernandes expressed shock and grief over Zambaulikar's tragic death saying it is even more depressing to note that he was recently married and has a young child.
He said, an enquiry conducted by a team of Superintending Engineer and two Executive Engineers had found that 'Fitness Factory' uses an inverter whose connection was improperly done leading to the 'back field' getting transmitted on to the main electricity line.
"The inverter did not have earthing. Also the inverter was using the electricity department's neutral line which is why the back field power (220 volts) charged our neutral line that Zambaulikar touched and got electrocuted killing him instantly," Fernandes said.
He said, usually we advise those who use generators and inverters to use a four-pole switch so as to isolate it from the main supply lines," Fernandes said, adding that usually consumers using inverters do not inform the department and directly rely on the suppliers.
He said, Zambaulikar had taken all the precautions before embarking on his task such as putting off the main supply and also temporarily earthing it but the 'back field' supply to the neutral line from the Fitness Factory's inverter did him in.
Nonetheless, the Electricity Department which Fernandes heads has been under the scanner for potential negligence in such incidents which claim lives of their own staffers
Last year, the department lost five staffers to such incidents of electrocution while on the job to repair faults, the highest number in any one year. Also, over the last six years since 2018, as many as 14 linesmen and line-helpers have lost lives on the job.
