Staff Reporter
K-Electric is deeply saddened by the unfortunate incidents which occurred during the recent torrential rain and sympathises with the affected families. KE is extending full cooperation in the investigation process with various stakeholders including NEPRA. The power utility reiterates that it remains committed to Karachi and will undertake required remedial measures in light of the investigation results. At the same time, KE will also be undertaking a network wide study to identify opportunities for infrastructure improvement so as to strengthen both reliability and safety of power supply.
While KE is assessing all electrocution incidents, as per initial reports, majority of the incidents either occurred inside homes through broken wires and internal equipment or due to non-KE infrastructure such as kundas and hanging lights. In such cases where KE’s infrastructure and equipment is not involved, K-Electric is not responsible.
Before the recent rain, the power utility took all precautionary measures including preventive maintenance, network-wide inspections of the power infrastructure and strengthened vigilance of on-ground teams. KE also promoted public safety awareness through campaigns on rain safety through TV, print and social media, SMS and has also been engaging with school/seminaries students and communities as well as announcements in mosques besides placement of safety banners across the city. Additionally, an alert letter was also sent to the city administration, disaster management organizations and all concerned stakeholders by KE to dispense their responsibilities in the wake of projected heavy rains, which the deteriorating civic infrastructure of Karachi cannot sustain, with drainage issues and massive encroachments.
In his regard, KE had also requested civic bodies to take preventive measures before recent rains to ensure there is no water-logging in Karachi so as to avoid any untoward incident. However during the recent rains various areas of the city have been submerged creating an urban flooding situation; to the extent that power supply to some of these areas was suspended on the request of district administration in the interest of public safety as water entered homes. Water logging around power installations in low-lying areas not only damages utility infrastructure it also hampers restoration efforts and causes fatal accidents.
Non-KE wires on power distribution infrastructure such as kundas, streetlights, TV, telephone, or internet cables are also a major safety hazard as they damage KE’s infrastructure and bypass safety protection mechanisms.
