GHAZIABAD: Residents of DLF Ankur Vihar and SLF Ved Vihar in Loni are not new to electric shocks. But three deaths in the past three months because of people accidently touching overhead cables have prompted the residents to wage a war of sorts against the power department.Repeated protests outside the discom office every time there is an electrocution in the area have failed to move the power department, which is still thinking of insulating the wires. So, the residents have now decided to move court. Both colonies have scores of low-rise private buildings that are just 2-3ft away from high-tension cables.Saurabh Tiwari, a relative of Radha, who died in January this year after coming in contact with a high-tension cable, said the power department’s responsibility was not limited to paying compensation after every such death. “One can gauge their insensitivity from the fact that no official from the electricity department came to enquire about the death of Radha. They have always assured that such accidents would not happen in the future and the cables would be moved away from the houses. But nothing has happened on the ground,” he added.Lawyer Mukesh Rajput, a resident of SLF Ved Vihar, said: “Despite FIRs against the electricity department and numerous representations to the authorities, no change has taken place in the colonies. The power department, in collusion with private builders, is busy minting money by installing individual transformers in front of each building. The flat buyers are made to pay a hefty amount for these transformers, which are nothing but ticking bombs. We will soon file a PIL in the Allahabad high court.”Most of the 11kV wires that are within sniffing distance of the buildings are worn out and pose grave dangers. “Separate transformers have been installed in front of every block in the two colonies and from them, electrical wires with 11,000 Volts pass through the colony. The wires are quite old and have several joints. The department should have replaced them long back. We have written to the district administration and the power department to install one big transformer in a corner and provide electricity to colonies. But to no avail,” said Vishal Ranjan, president of the Parivartan Welfare Society in DLF Ankur Vihar.Vinay Kumar, whose wife Neelam lost both hands in one such accident, said: “My wife is a graduate and was preparing for competitive exams. After the accident, she has been battling depression. Even after an FIR was registered, no penal action was taken against any staff or senior employee.”The power department blamed private builders for flouting norms and constructing buildings in close proximity to electricity poles. “They are supposed to leave a 5ft distance from the high-tension cables. But in most cases, not even a single foot of space is left. We are in the process of replacing old cables. But for this, the residents will have to apply together,” said Gopal Singh, the sub-divisional officer of PVVNL.

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