PANAJI
Nine workers, including five regular employees of the Goa Electricity Department and four labourers employed by private contractors, lost their lives in work-related accidents over the past three years, according to official data. The fatalities occurred during maintenance of electrical equipment, erection of power poles and other field operations across various divisions of the department.
Among the department employees who died while on duty were line helper Ladu Naik Arondekar, who was killed while working in Porvorim in August 2023, and line helper Krishna Pawar, who died of electrocution while carrying out work at Siolim in November 2023. In 2024, Bicholim lineman Manoj Vaman Jambavlikar died after suffering an electric shock caused by back-current leakage from an inverter at a nearby business.
Assistant lineman Chandro Vasu Gavkar and line helper Manthan Aroskar also died in separate work-related incidents. Officials said the department paid Rs 27 lakh each as compensation to the families of the five employees.
The major causes of the accidents included electric shocks from high-voltage lines, current leakage from customers’ inverters or generators, and workers coming into contact with live wires while trimming trees, officials said. Four workers employed by private contractors also died in work-related mishaps during the period. They were identified as Gaurav Kumar (Quepem/Curchorem), Balram Sarkar (Davorlim), Manoj Kumar Mahato (Sanguem) and Pankaj Yadav (Verna).
The deaths occurred during pole erection, painting work on poles and incidents involving electrical leakage. The Electricity Department said action was taken against officials found responsible in accident cases. One junior engineer was suspended, an assistant engineer was issued a show-cause notice and some officials were transferred.
In cases involving contract workers, compensation is required to be paid by the concerned contractors under the Employees’ Compensation Act, officials said.
No case of permanent disability was reported during the three-year period.
