Rusted and damaged electric poles are posing a threat to safety of people at several places in Dimapur town. A few poles are in a precarious position in some areas of Nagaland’s commercial hub.
In Firing Range, Lingrijan, a rusted electric pole near Assam Rifles unit hospital was seen unattended for a long period of time. Even after many complaints lodged by residents to the power department (the latest being on March 3), the department was yet to replace the same.
“Power department staff were not removing the pole which was posing a threat to the locals and the passersby,’’ said Ben Imchen, a resident.
“Electric poles here are very old and most of them have rusted. The administration must replace them before a big mishap occurs,” another resident added.
However, due to alleged negligence of some officials, rusted poles and lampposts damaged during heavy rains and gales were seen standing with little grip in many areas of Dimapur.
“Not just maintenance of rusted poles, field staff should also clear tree branches from time to time, especially near roadsides to reduce weight on the poles and also to prevent short circuits,” stated Imchen.
In many areas of Dimapur town, there have been reports of excess connections from some poles due to which these poles were either bent or the insulation rendered ineffective. It may be noted that, there were many citizens who also indulged in illegal line tapping.