TURA: A linesman fell to his death while working atop a high tension tower line in Nangalbibra sub-station of South Garo Hills on Tuesday raising questions about the apparant lack of safety gears for workers in high risk jobs. The deceased has been identified as 57 year old Lathinson G Momin.
The entire West Garo Hills district had been reeling without power throughout Tuesday due to damage caused to a circuit breaker on one of the towers of the 132 KV line that supplies power from Nangalbibra to Rongkhon sub-station in Tura.
Repair teams of the Meghalaya Power Transmission Corporation Limited had been engaged in restoration work when the mishap happened.
“He was part of a team of linesmen working on the tower when he suddenly became motionless, lost his balance and fell below. We suspect it may have been a stroke because the height of the fall was not very high, around 4 meters from the ground,” claimed transmission engineer T K Marak who was also at the site when the incident took place.
He informed that attempts to resuscitate him at the site failed and the victim was rushed to Nangalbibra health centre and later referred to Williamnagar civil hospital where doctors declared him dead.
His death during a high risk job has revealed that the department clearly lacks safety gears such as Arc flash clothing, protection helmets and rescue hooks and ropes.
Garo Hills had been severely impacted by power disruption since Monday with entire districts without electricity due to the Nangalbibra disruption.