A daily-wage worker associated with the Power Development Department (PDD) lost his life recently after falling from an electric pole in the Imoh Achabal area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. He was carrying out repair work when the incident occurred, and despite efforts to save him, the injuries proved fatal. This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Similar tragedies in the past have pointed to a troubling pattern—one that raises serious questions about the working conditions faced by field staff in the power sector, particularly those employed on a temporary or daily-wage basis. The deceased worker was performing a task that is inherently dangerous and should be carried out with the support of basic safety gear or standard operating procedures. Climbing poles and handling live wires requires proper training, safety equipment, and the assurance that if something goes wrong, there is an emergency response mechanism in place. In the aftermath of the incident, the Assistant Executive Engineer of KPDCL Anantnag issued an order attaching four employees pending an inquiry into the matter. The field staff of the affected sector has been attached, and oversight of the area has been reassigned to a different officer. The order stated that the field staff of the Imoh sector is “hereby attached with this sub-division with immediate effect.” These administrative steps are aimed at ensuring continuity of operations and establishing accountability. However, the core issue—unsafe field practices—remains unaddressed unless deeper institutional changes are made. The incident comes close on the heels of another fatal accident in Budgam district, where a massive transformer blast at a receiving station resulted in the deaths of two PDD employees. Junior Engineer Hitesh Wali and technician Manzoor Ahmad Dar were critically injured during maintenance work. Both were initially treated at the district hospital and later shifted to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, where they succumbed to their injuries. An investigation has been initiated to determine the cause of the blast. Both these incidents have brought to the fore the vulnerability of workers who keep the Valley’s electricity supply functional, often at the cost of their lives. Daily-wage employees, contractual staff, and even permanent linemen face the same risks if safety protocols are ignored. It is important that authorities approach these investigations with seriousness and a sense of urgency. Merely issuing orders or initiating inquiries is not enough unless followed by systemic reforms. Safety audits, allocation of funds for protective gear, and regular training sessions must become standard practices. Accountability must extend beyond field workers to include supervisory and administrative levels. Families of those who lose their lives or suffer injuries deserve timely compensation, job security for dependents, and recognition of the sacrifice made. These tragedies should serve as a wake-up call. Ensuring that every worker—temporary or permanent—has access to the tools, training, and safeguards they need is not a matter of formality but one of basic human dignity. The government should take serious steps in this regard and also ensure strict implementation of safety protocols.
Work Safe
