‘Raise electrical joint boxes to stop electrocution death’
Times of India | 5 August 2024
Kolkata: Taking a lesson from the electrocution death of a young girl at Malipachghara in Howrah due to waterlogging, state urban development minister Firhad Hakim on Saturday said efforts were being taken to raise the electrical joint boxes that are used for illuminating the streetlights to avoid such tragic incident in future. “I have asked the Howrah Municipal Corporation to raise the electrical joint boxes so that they are not submerged after a downpour and subsequent waterlogging of the streets.The same rules apply for the Kolkata streets,” said Hakim.
A 22-year-old computer training centre teacher died of electrocution in front of her father at Badaghat crossing under Malipanchghara PS in Howrah on Thursday evening.
Hakim said the KMC had taken a lesson from several electrocution deaths in the city in the past few years. “We don’t want a recurrence of these unfortunate deaths. Hence, I have asked the KMC electrical department to ensure that adequate arrangements are taken to ensure safety of the pedestrians in the event of severe waterlogging in the city’s low-lying areas,” said the mayor.
A KMC electrical department official said an eye was being kept on areas that are vulnerable.