LARKANA: The Sukkur Electric Power Supply Com­pany (Sepco) seems to have subscribed to the novel idea of using trunks with bran­ches of fallen trees as a substitute for metal poles in its outdoor infrastructure of high-tension power transmission lines in Larkana.

It took Deputy Commi­ssio­ner Kashif Ali Tipu by surprise when he noticed that trunks of fallen trees matching the length of the poles prescribed for the purpose were carrying high-tension cables along the flood protective dykes of the Indus in Mohammed Ayoub Mangrio village of Bakrani taluka. The DC was on visit to inspect condition of the dykes the other day.

At first sight, such an artistic work looks to be a handiwork of a person with a creative mind who may have done this to restore the possibly lowered cables to their original hight. How­ever, the jumpers and other objects fixed on the bran­ches of the dried trunks to ensure that the cables rest properly show that the task has been accomplished by some highly professional, and obviously authorised, technicians under the guidance of an electrical engineer. Metallic poles, essentially strong enough to carry load of the cables fixed over them, are specifically prescribed for the purpose as they can also resist fire and flooding besides withstanding strong jerks that may be caused by tremor or in case any of them are hit by a vehicle. The trunks used as a substitute obviously lack all such qualities and may definitely bring town the high-tension cables in case of a fire, road traffic accident or flooding. Even if they survive all such happenings, pests are there to adopt them as their habitat and cause their destruction.

DC Tipu took notice of the highly risky practice that could put people lives in danger, wrote to the Sepco chief executive officer asking him to pay immediate attention to it. He cautioned him that the dangerous trend could turn problematic for the population of the area during storm, rain, flooding and such other situations. He asked to CEO to get replaced the trunks with the prescribed poles immediately.

The DC also directed him to initiate a departmental inquiry to fix responsibility in the matter.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2018