SHAMLI: Over 40 employees of the state power department, including engineers, clerks and contractual workers, are forced to wear helmets while working at the metre-testing lab inside the British-era building of UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) in Baghpat’s Baraut town. The reason is the dilapidated condition of the structure, where chunks of plaster keep falling from the roof at regular intervals.
“We have to wear helmets to protect ourselves as we don’t know when the plaster from the ceiling would fall and hurt us. There have been incidents in the past when workers were injured. Although no major accident has happened, it is too risky,” said Vedpal Arya, who works as a computer operator.
The situation gets worse during the rainy season as cracks have appeared in the roof over the years and rainwater keeps dripping, the employees said, adding that despite repeated requests, little has been done by the authorities concerned.
“The building has been in a poor condition since I joined this department seven years ago. A survey was conducted once by the officials but no repair work happened. The roof will collapse anytime. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen,” said Gaurav Sharma, a contractual worker. After a video of the workers wearing helmets while working went viral on social media on Saturday, district magistrate (DM) of Baghpat, Rajkamal Yadav, took cognisance and said that a letter is being sent to the MD PVVNL, the west UP discom of UP Power Corporation Ltd, to address the matter on priority.
“This is a serious matter. It is dangerous to work in such old and decrepit buildings. An inquiry report has been sought from the superintendent engineer of the discom in this regard. We will also correspond with senior officials of the power corporation regarding shifting the office to a new building,” the DM said.