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Concern over workers' safety after cable blast in Mumbai

Mumbai: When a high voltage cable exploded in the face of three labourers hired by Reliance Energy in Mumbai recently, it was an accident too many. Ram Shantaram Waghmare (22) sustained 60 per cent burns. Lying in a hospital bed, his seared face lathered with ointment and body swathed in bandages, Mr. Waghmare could barely utter a syllable.

His brother Laxman Waghmare told The Hindu: “He was using the compressor for digging, unaware that a 33 kv [kilovoltage] underground cable was inches away. The moment the compressor touched the cable there was an explosion. No one thought there would be a wire there as cables are laid four and a half feet into the surface. There should be an inquiry into this.”

Mr. Waghmare's co-workers Satyavan Darpe (32) and Narashimha Botu (32) too received burns.

The incident, which took place early this month, is one in a series of accidents cable-repair workers have met with.

“We are not supposed to run compressors; other type of workers are meant for the job. We are only meant to dig. But if required we do operate compressors,” a worker said.

Reliance Energy has been taking care of the medical expenses of the injured labourers. However, while the company offers compensation in case of death, there is no compensation in case of injury. Citing a rise in such incidents, the workers want to know what the company would be do to stop such accidents and ensure their safety.

“The immediate concern is the life and health of the workers. Under the Contract Labour Act, it is the responsibility of the principle employer and not the supplier. Conditions at the worksite have to be safe. One labourer died last November and one in December. How can you neglect the life of people like this? We met the management over the issue. They expressed concern, but they have been saying this for long,” N. Vasudevan, general secretary, Mumbai Electronic Employees Union told The Hindu.

“In the last five years many workers have died. [The company] claims they are accidents. But how do they happen? Who is responsible? This is the third accident in six months. Power has to be switched off while operating compressors, but they don't do it because then the entire area will face a power cut,” Milind Ranade, a member of the Union, said.

Reliance Energy, however, has pinned the responsibility of the incident on the workers themselves. “It was a sheer accident. There was a concrete block which presented a hurdle in the digging process. Since the block was hard, they [workers] applied human pressure. The compressor slipped from the block and the nail went into the live wire. Had the compressor been properly used [the accident could have been avoided],” Vivek Deosthal from Reliance Energy told The Hindu over telephone.

The company, however, did not reply to e-mail queries on accident compensation, work-related safety measures and provision of safety gear.

For eight hours of labour the workers are paid a daily wage of Rs. 221, and Rs. 246 for serving overtime. “The company provides all the equipment and gear to the workers. Such accidents keep happening while working. Whether with Reliance or any other company, it happens,” said Yadaiyya Yelkaraju, the contractor who routinely provides 30 to 40 workers to the company.

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