A tilted electricity pole in front of the house of former minister, late Rajendra Pratap Singh, on Rowing Club Road in Motihari. Picture by RN Sinha

Motihari, May 17: Poor power infrastructure is creating problems for the people of the district in more ways than one.

While scant power supply remains a perennial problem, damaged electric poles and defective network of high-tension supply cables have become threats to the safety of the people in town.

Several cases of death after coming in contact with high-tension wire have been reported from the district.

Executive officer of Motihari Nagar Parishad Rajendra Mandal said: “In a letter to chairman of the state electricity board, I expressed apprehension about the danger from rundown cables and poles.” According to the report submitted by Mandal, over a dozen people, including children, in the district have met with accidents in the past three years because of damaged electric wiring. Deaths caused because of snapping of high-tension cables have been reported from Mathia Chowk, Banswariya Gyan Babu Chowk and near the station.

Expressing concern over the lackadaisical attitude of the power department in his letter, Mandal has demanded immediate measures to tackle the problem.

Mandal told The Telegraph: “It is shocking how one can be so unconcerned with issues concerning public interest.”

Mandal said the risk posed by the old, crumbling poles and wires were discussed in the monthly board meeting of the parishad held in January this year, in the presence of an assistant engineer of the power department.

However, the promises made by power department officials of replacing around 15 damaged transformers, repair damaged poles and high-tension wire have not been fulfilled. The superintending engineer could not be contacted for his comments in the matter. Nagar Parished sources said a letter was sent to the executive engineer of Motihari power division requesting immediate action in the matter but that too yielded no result.

In a letter sent to the executive engineer of Motihari power division vide no 154, dated January 27 2011, the Nagar Parishad requested the officer to take immediate action in the matter, but that too failed to yield any result, said Nagar Parishad sources.

The chairperson of the Nagar Parishad, Prakash Asthana, told The Telegraph: “Despite asking for an updated report in the matter, neither the executive engineer nor any of his representative were present in the general board meeting of the Nagar Parishad.”