Hyderabad: Even as the Cellular Operation Association of India (COAI) here continues to blame the TGSPDCL for chopping down cables, leading to internet outages in Hyderabad, electricity department officials however maintained that they had to take drastic action due to the internet providers creating hazardous situation by dumping long cables on TGSPDCL poles.
“There are as many as 20 lakh small and big power poles in Hyderabad alone. Our CMD had last year itself held meetings with operators to remove dead wires which they hang on poles. Many companies rent out the poles from us to hang their wires, but they also default on that as well,” a senior TGSPDCL official told Siasat.com.
The issue of hanging cable wires on electricity poles worsened after close to 10 people were electrocuted during religious festivals over the last two weeks incidents, of which two of them died. While five were electrocuted during Janmashtami, three others suffered the same while transporting a Ganesh idol of which two died.
These incidents led to Telangana deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka ordering TGSPDCL officials to remove all hanging cables immediately on August 19. The COAI in turn has alleged that the electricity department has been damaging internet lines while removing the cables. The matter is currently in the Telangana high court as well.
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However, the underlying issue, according to TGSPDCL officials, is safety. “The situation in Hyderabad has become hazardous thanks to these internet providers leaving several feet of dead cables on our poles. Even after repeated warnings to clear it, they have not done. In fact in the incident wherein 5 were electrocute, it happened as there was dead cable hanging from a pole. We are being blamed for the internet, but no one is pulling them up for putting our lives in danger,” said a senior official from the TGSPDCL.
While the focus is on the internet outage in Hyderabad, it may be recalled that Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) managing director Mushrraf Faruqui last year on August 30 directed cable operators and internet service providers to remove unnecessary cables and other items from electric poles immediately.
The electricity department head warned then itself that failing to do so will result in action against them. He had said then itself that the TGSPDCL will remove cables on its own if the instructions are not adhered to. After the deaths this year, Bhatti Vikramarka mentioned that several notices had already been issued to cable operators over the past year and that sufficient time was given, but the lack of response from them has caused a threat to public safety.
The deputy CM expressed anger, saying that there would be no further leniency and directed all officials and staff to focus on removing cable wires from electricity poles immediately. He also ordered that strict action be taken against anyone setting up unauthorised electricity connections.
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