Risking lives under high tension cables

In a fell swoop, 16 persons laid dead, while 10 others were injured, following shocks from 33,000 volts of electricity. The tragedy evoked grief, just as it brought to fore, the danger of doing business underneath high tension cables as prevails in most parts of the country. Six months after that deadly incident, people still […]

In a fell swoop, 16 persons laid dead, while 10 others were injured, following shocks from 33,000 volts of electricity.

The tragedy evoked grief, just as it brought to fore, the danger of doing business underneath high tension cables as prevails in most parts of the country.

Six months after that deadly incident, people still do all kinds of businesses under these lines, seemingly oblivious of the dangers.

Among them are food vendors, shoemakers, motor mechanics, petty traders and all kinds of artisans; even “area boys”.

Mr Ben Amadi, an electrical engineer, expressed surprise that people still engag in various businesses at the very spot some persons were electrocuted about six months ago.

‘’It is too risky to stay near the high tension cables to do business. It is advisable that people stay away completely from the cables’ routes.

“That is not to say that people cannot walk underneath; but staying under for long periods is not advisable. People should stay away by at least 457 metres to avoid electrocution in case the cables,’’ he says.

Mr Emma Anene, Principal Manager (Public Affairs), PHCN, Port Harcourt Distribution Zone, agrees with the submissions of Amadi, adding that in furtherance of that objective, his company has carried out series of enlightenment campaigns against living underneath the lines.

“We have even written letters to people with businesses or houses under high tension wires to quit such places because of the danger associated with living there,’’ he says.

Anene displays some leaflets and handbills which were widely circulated to people to dissuade them from doing any business underneath the high tension lines.

Some of the leaflets have such inscriptions as: “Do not build, sell or load vehicles under power lines”; “Do not hoist flags/install television antennae close to power lines”, “Do not install cloth-lines near power lines”, “Do not plant trees under power lines’’, “Observe the right of way when erecting structures”.

According to Anene, there are standard spatial distances that must be maintained by anyone doing business near the high tension lines, part of which is a mandatory six-meter clearing distance from both sides of the 11/33 kv lines, and 13-meter clearing distance for the 132 kv line.

“For the 330 kv lines, a clearance of 50 metres must be observed before any construction is made,” he clarifies.

Notwithstanding these precautionary measures, some safety analysts lament that citizens hardly comply with these requirements.

Though these violators offer various reasons for their continued stay underneath these high tension cables, many of such excuses, the analysts believe, are untenable.

A check at the Slaughter Bus Stop, Oginigba location of the February tragedy, shows the resumption of usual activities. While commuters struggle to board vehicles, others engage in buying and selling all day.

Mrs Mercy Adams is a trader who sells onions, pepper, crayfish and kerosene at the location to eek out a living.

She says: ‘’ There is no space for us at the main market near the Slaughter Bus Stop and so, we stay here to sell our goods. We are appealing to the government to build a new market that can accommodate people like us. “

For Malam Haruna Audu, a shoemaker, the high attraction to customers makes the location suitable for him, though he admits that danger looms underneath the cables.

“I am aware that some people died here some months ago, but we get more customers while doing our shoe-mending here,” he says, while expressing desire to relocate to a safer place in future, to protect his life.

The apparent refusal of the traders to quit the deadly zone is not amusing to the Rivers State Government, which says that it will not fold its hands for another disaster to happen.

As a pre-emptive measure, Governor Chibuike Amaechi has directed the state’s Ministries of Works and Urban Development to remove all structures on the route of the high tension wires.

Mr Ajomiwe Ezuma, a historian and public affairs analyst, commends the action of the state government but points out that poverty remains a main factor for the indifference shown by the traders.

“It will be good if government can assist their relocation by building new markets and shops to accommodate them,” he says.

Anene, however, insists that the PHCN on its part “will continue to plead with people to stay away from underneath the high tension wires”.

Ajomiwe suggests that a special task force be set up by the state government to ensure that all persons under high tension lines are sent parking before more disasters come.

A resident in Trans-Amadi, Mr Innocent Edem admits that the establishment of a task force is desirable, but points out that a better result will be achieved if the people are well enlightened on the dangers involved in staying underneath the high tension cables.

“It will be very difficult to cover the whole length of the cables in Rivers state. The best option is to enlighten the people and I think the PHCN is doing a good job in this regard.

“They have sent several messages to people to stay away from such high risk facilities and I believe a lot of people have learnt lessons from the Feb.13 incident,’’ he says.

While the tragedy of February 13 is a grim reminder of the danger inherent in living under high tension lines, concerned citizens as Amadi, want a complete halt to all illegal activities underneath the lines as well as the demolition of all illegal structures.

He shudders to think of the scale of casualties that could occur if such an accident recurs in a more densely populated area of the metropolis.

“If the snapping of a 33,000 kv wire could cause that kind of damage in a small area like Slaughter Bus Stop, I wonder what would happen if such occurs in a more densely populated area,’’ he says.

Observers believe that the kind of tragedy that occurred in February is avoidable, provided that town planning regulations are rigidly enforced by government, while appropriate sanctions are meted out to violators of established rules.

While the enlightenment campaigns of the PHCN against illegal occupation of spaces underneath the lines is commendable, the citizens themselves must take measures to safeguard their lives by avoiding stupid risks, all in the desire to eek out a living.

(NANFeatures).