The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : They go beyond the call of duty to ensure power supply

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Monday, Jul 28, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

They go beyond the call of duty to ensure power supply

R. Srikanth

Sea change in working conditions of TNEB field staff

— File Photo: B.Jothi Ramalingam

NOT MINDING HAZARDS: TNEB workers fixing high tension lines at Basin Bridge.

CHENNAI: The occupational hazards in the job are many, but that does not deter them from attending to the power line faults round-the-clock. The field staff of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, comprising foremen, wiremen, line inspectors and helpers, has a crucial role in ensuring uninterrupted power supply.

A. Mohan, who joined as a helper in TNEB in 1971 and rose to the position of foreman, said unlike most other jobs, the personnel cannot call it a day without finishing the work, even if it extended beyond the end of the duty at 5 p.m. “The field staff has to rectify the fault, whatever time it may take, and then only move out.” A typical day for the men involves attending to overhead or underground cable faults, installation of meters and rectification of faults in the transformers and pillar boxes.

His colleague, K. Sriram, with 38 years of experience, said working conditions had undergone a sea change. He recalled how until some years ago, the field staff had to attend to the complaints on a cycle, irrespective of whether it was raining or summer. Safety equipment was also not too many.

But all that has changed and the TNEB now provides transport facilities and safety equipment such as gloves, belt hooks and earth rods.

He said though it was a thankless job, as most of the residents normally vented their feelings on the workmen, they have to take such reactions in the right spirit.

While the assistant engineers plan the work, it is the group of foreman, wireman, line inspector and helpers who are responsible for erecting transformer structures and installing transformers, pillar boxes, erection of poles, and attending to the electricity faults.

G. Gnanasambandam, Assistant Executive Engineer, Kodambakkam, said the work load of wiremen and line inspectors had come down with around 80 per cent of the overhead cable system having gone underground.

The risks of workmen being electrocuted from live overhead cable and points had reduced. Attending to faults in underground cable was easy, except during monsoon when the roads were inundated. With regard to the safety aspects, an officer of the rank of Assistant Executive Engineer (Safety) conducts awareness classes for the workmen regularly.

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