Karkala: Shocking apathy - Electric pole right in the middle of road!

R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Feb 24: Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd (Mescom) has been accused of doing nothing to obviate the danger posed by an electric poll standing at the centre of the connecting road between Kukkundoor Jayantinagar fourth and fifth cross roads. This poll is located in the middle of this newly laid road.

A sum of two lac rupees had been sanctioned from out of the chief minister’s grant for the laying of the said road at the request of Kukkundoor gram panchayat, during the period of chief minister, D V Sadananda Gowda. The road was asphalted two weeks back. The electric poll carrying high tension wires should have been shifted before the road was laid, but Mescom allegedly showed disinterestedness to do so because of the cumbersome procedures and heavy cost involved in shifting the poll. The last gram sabha had also resolved for shifting this pole.

The contractors completed the work of laying the road, as any delay in executing the work would have hampered the work in view of the fact that election is round the corner, and all works will come to a halt once model code of conduct comes into force.

The electric pole in question is located at a road bend. This pole is showing every sign of turning into a nightmare for vehicle drivers, particularly two-wheelers.

Kukkundoor gram panchayat president, Antony D’Souza, when contacted, fumed about the irresponsible response of Mescom officials towards their duty for shifting of this pole. “As soon as the new road project was approved, Mescom was informed about the need to remove this pole. It has ignored our communication, and Mescom will have to own responsibility for the catastrophes if any that might occur because of its failure to do the needful,” he warned.