NASHIK: Mishaps are waiting to happen in the city with several uncovered electricity junction boxes located in busy areas, market places, parks and near bus stops.Though sources in Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) claimed that the number of such uncovered boxes is over 200, senior power utility officials pegged the figure at around 100.There are about 5,000 electricity junction boxes across the city belonging to MSEDCL while there are a few others owned by Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC).City residents have questioned the alleged laxity on the part of the two agencies in putting proper lids on these boxes to prevent mishaps.They pointed out that the junction boxes without lids are dangerous for road users, especially school going children and local residents, as they might receive electric shocks if they come in contact with the live wires dangling out of the boxes.Experts said that there could be even chances of an explosion if rain water seeps inside the electric circuit."It's a pity that these agencies care so less about issues related to the safety of citizens. How can one leave such boxes uncovered? The heights of these installations are less than three feet. As such, they pose a danger to kids playing in the vicinity," stated Kailash Rajhans, an anguished resident of Govind Nagar area of the city.Echoing similar views, Smriti Patil, a Satpur resident, said since these boxes are close to the road, there are chances of people coming in contact with these boxes after being hit by a vehicle."I had verbally complained to local MSEDCL authorities a couple of times in the past about such uncovered boxes," she said.Electricity consumer activist Siddharth Varma reminded MSEDCL about the Supreme Court ruling in the past where it said that the power utility would be held solely responsible for electrical accidents in open spaces."MSEDCL is duty-bound to ensure that all such boxes are properly covered," he said.According to MSEDCL officials, the covers of these junction boxes are stolen by miscreants at regular intervals."The covers of these boxes are made of iron sheets that fetch anything between Rs 50 and Rs 500 in the grey market . In areas near slums, such pilferage is common and at times we have even replaced three covers a month. This is more of a social problem," added MSEDCL officials.The MSEDCL authorities have lodged a complaint with the police but the offenders have not been nabbed.MSEDCL executive engineer S S Savairam denied that the power utility has been lax in addressing the issue."We do put covers on boxes once we come to know that they are missing. We had given a contract to a firm to attend to the boxes in minimal time. At present, there could be less than 100 such boxes which do not have covers. We are planning to undertake a special drive to put covers on junction boxes," he said.The officer also added that the company was now putting acrylic sheets on the boxes as plastic sheets could catch fire in case of a short circuit.

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