Udupi: Villagers live in fear of UPCL's high voltage wires

Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (DV)

Udupi, Jun 6: The villagers of Adve near Nandikur have been living in fear of the possible dangers posed by electricity wires laid by UPCL power plant.

Presently, KPTCL uses high voltage electrical wires for transmission of power from UPCL which are lying on the ground, thus infusing fear among the people in the vicinity. The people around this area, who possess agricultural lands, are also concerned about how agricultural activities can be carried out if there are electric wires in water-logged fields.

"We cannot walk due to the wires lying on the ground. During cloudy weather or during rains, there is danger of getting electric shocks. Even school children who pass by this way are at risk, especially as they carry umbrellas," they said. The overhead wires too pose danger as they are not too high above the ground level, they add.

People of this village have to pass through this route for various reasons like collecting green leaves or twigs and grazing their cattle. "But there is no one to listen to our problems," they lamented.

People in the vicinity claim that though a memorandum has been submitted to the power department as well as UPCL contractors and other related organizations on this issue, no one has responded so far.

The locals said that UPCL has also installed a high-tension power transmission tower in the field belonging to Nathu Shetty of Adve. It supplies power to Hassan but poses danger to people in the vicinity, they complained.

Though similar problem existed during the rainy season last year too, it did not pose much danger as there were no high-tension wires like this time. If this results in any loss of life, the people's representatives and the government will be directly responsible, warned the locals.