KSEB workers toil in hostile environs in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: As torrential rain with precipitation of 90 per cent and wind 10 km per hour, telephones in KSEB offices continue to ring, and workers hustle over despite the workforce shortage and hostile operational environs.

Due to recurrent power outages, KSEB tries to address the complaints with the limited resources and human power where they are left to displace the fallen trees and work in insecure odd hours.

The KSEB office in Koyilandy, near Arikkulam, remained flooded with water up to the knee and they walk to repairing works through water spilled out of leaking septic tank.

"We do not consume food and water here, and we have used coir to demarcate steps and holes. We try our maximum to solve around 60 complaints received a day," said P.K. Babu, overseer of North Koyilandy office.

V.S. Sreejith, the assistant engineer of Nadakkavu circle, says the complaints are less now in comparison with the monsoon onset. It has come down from around 100 to 60 including isolated, transformer problems, tree fall, accidents, electric rod breakdown and short circuits.

"There is no provision of a vehicle for the postman, and they toil crossing safety borders. To curb the employee shortage due to leave and transfer of employees, during the rainy season, we appoint employees on contract - two to three. Major works cannot be done during the night, and we finish up maintenance works," he said.

"People get panic as electricity is inevitable during night hours and it takes about 30-45 minutes to solve an issue in this season, and the services get delayed."

When the wind is high, says N. Aravind, overseer of Pottammal, problems also will increase.

"Now complaints are within our control," he said. The assistant engineer in Kallayi circle, K. Ganesh, said they had given 90 duties outside due to lack of employees, and there will be more than 20 complaints pending out of 60 received every day.