Potential Hazard

Sambalpur, Feb. 26: Hazards remain only yards away for residents here as several transformers have been lying without any fence or boundary wall.

Several high-voltage transformers at Budhraja, Laxmi Talkies Chhak and many other residential areas have been lying without any fencing for long. The region’s power distribution company, the Western Electricity Supply Company (Wesco), is not bothered to barricade the potential danger zones, say a resident of this town.

“The Wesco authorities should think of erecting boundary walls around the roadside transformers on an emergency basis,” said Pradyumna Sahu, a local resident.

“Many cattle have died after coming in contact with these transformers,” said Tarun Meher, a local resident. Another local resident said they had to always remain alert while walking with children and elderly people as they might lose their life by accidentally touching these transformers.

Wesco executive engineer B.P. Padhee said: “The sub-stations were installed by the erstwhile Odisha State Electricity Board. The board had left those sub-stations without erecting any boundary wall. The Wesco has erected fence around several sub-stations. However, we could not take up fencing around the remaining substations because of funds crunch.”