MARGAO
Monday’s incident of a rusted light pole falling and damaging a car windscreen near Hospicio hospital in Margao should serve as an eye opener for the authorities to take measures to address the issue at the earliest before someone gets hurt.
Inquiries by The Goan have revealed that as many as 400 out of the total 3000 electric poles in Margao need replacement. And, the condition of the remaining poles isn’t better for want of regular upkeep and maintenance.
Rough estimates prepared by the power department state a whopping amount of around Rs 70 lakh is needed for replacing the corroded electric poles.
Sources in the know say it may cost the exchequer around Rs one crore for replacing and painting the 400 poles.
Erected over a decade ago when the commercial capital switched over to underground cabling, these electric poles are in dire need of maintenance.
Says a senior official, “Around 400 electric poles in Margao alone need urgent replacement. The proposal, along with the estimates, has already been forwarded to the higher authorities months ago, but there’s no sanction yet from the government. The total estimate works to around Rs 70 lakh to replace the corroded poles”.
Another official in the know pointed out that most of the remaining 2,600 electric poles dotting the city need a coat of anti-corrosion paint. “I do not think that these poles have undergone maintenance in recent years. Some of them are slightly bent. Climbing these poles is next to impossible and it may involve a tedious job of erecting makeshift ladder to climb these and carry out painting,” the official remarked. A senior official pointed out that the replacement of the corroded poles or their maintenance will take place only after the
government accords financial sanction.
When The Goan called up Chief Electrical Engineer Neelakanta Reddy to shed light on the issue, he said he has called for a report from the superintending engineer, south, on Monday’s pole crash.
When his attention was drawn to the inquires that the estimate prepared by the Aquem Power House to replace around 400 poles was gathering dust, he feigned ignorance of having received any such file. “Since I have called for a report from the SE, I will get an insight into the issue. Let us wait for the senior official’s report,” he said.
Reddy, however, pointed out that funds cannot be a problem if the electric poles need replacement and painting. “I agree that the poles might have corroded since they were all erected over a decade ago at the time of underground cabling. I will look into the issue,” he said.
