Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) Wayleave Coordinator Precious Mpekansambo has urged people not to build structures beneath power lines, saying doing so endangers property and lives.
Mpekansambo said this in Chilobwe Township, Blantyre, on Tuesday, when Escom officers visited the construction site of a house where a casual labourer, Francis Mchenga, suffered monor burn wounds on Monday after iron sheets he was carrying collided with electricity power lines.
“Encroachment is a big problem. People are just building [anyhow] despite having [by] laws in Malawi. Nobody should builda structure under power line regardless of its size, for the sake of safety of people and property. People should consult us on the reccommended distand away from lines,” Mpekansambo said.
The collision of the power lines resulted in the tripping of Blantyre-West 66kv live as well as machines and transformers at Kapichira.
The owner of the house Ganizani Isaac Nyali, claimed that Blantyre City Council offices inspected the construction site; hence, he thought he had complied with by-laws.
“I thought I could only engage Escom when applying for a new electricity connection. The ordeal of the man who was carrying the iron sheets terrified me. The worst could have happened,” he said.
In an interview from his Zingwangwa Township home yesterday, Mchenga said he was treated as an outpatient at Zingwangwa Health Centre after the incident.
“I lost balance after lifted the iron sheets and , suddenly, I found myself down and I got burns on my foot and head. I am still experiencing some chest pains,” the 24-year old said.
Escom has safety and wayleave departments, which sensitise people to dangers of interfering with powwer lines and other facilities owned by the State-owned corporation.
Source: The Daily Times_Septermber 24, 2021_by Peter Kanjere, contributer