Revenue Secretary Kumar Jayant has been appointed as one-member committee to look into the reasons for electrocution at Kalimedu in Thanjavur district that claimed 11 lives. It will submit a report to the State government with recommendations to avoid such accidents in future, Minister for Electricity V. Senthil Balaji said in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Responding to a special call attention motion moved by some MLAs, he explained the reasons for the accident. When the ‘sapparam’ (a small chariot carrying an idol) was made to turn, it was dragged to a side because of the weight of the generator. Its upper portion came in contact with a live wire.
“The 33-KV high-tension electricity supply was disrupted automatically within 0.19 seconds (or 190 milliseconds), owing to the ‘relay indication’, soon after the upper portion of the ‘sapparam’ came close to the lines,” Mr. Balaji said. The upper portion of the ‘sapparam’, which had metal frames and was decorated with serial lights, caught fire.
The 33-KV power lines were passing the area at a “safe height” of 23 feet, the Minister said. Though the power was automatically disrupted, the generator on the ‘sapparam’ kept supplying power to the serial lights. “People there threw water on the fire and tried to stop the generator.” A total of 11 persons died in the accident, he said.
“The accident could have happened since the generator kept functioning, supplying power to the serial lights, though the supply through the 33- KV high-tension lines was disrupted,” the Minister said. Though the ‘sapparam’ had a foldable upper portion, it was not folded when the ‘sapparam’ was made to turn. “Had the upper portion been folded, this accident could have been prevented. An inquiry is under way,” Mr. Balaji said.
Replying to Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P.K. Sekarbabu said the AIADMK leader kept raising issues, but walked out even before Ministers gave their replies.
Mr. Sekarbabu said 11 lives had been lost and the bodies were yet to be cremated, while a few others were fighting for their lives, but some leaders were already attempting to “politicise such accidents”. The government was involved in relief measures.
The Minister said the government was willing to listen to the issues flagged by the Opposition parties.
