After losing his arms, PDD daily wager awaits compensation
For Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, who was working as a casual labourer in Power Development Department (PDD), the past three years have been quite a difficult phase. Bhat who lost his arms while repairing a faulty power line has been running from pillar to post to secure compensation from the department, but to no avail.
Three years ago, Bhat lost his one arm and another was seriously disfigured while he was carrying out repair works on an LT cable of 25 KVA transformer at Dagpora in Ganderbal.
Right after the accident, Bhat started approached the department for compensation, which according to him would have enabled him to meet the day to day expanses as well as medical expanses needed to get himself treated.
“Till date my demand has not been accepted and I am treated with contempt by the officials of the department. Even my wages are not released on time due to which my family is facing immense hardships,” Bhat told ‘Kashmir Vision’.
Recalling that fateful day, Maqbool said, “It was 7 December 2014 I was asked by an official to repair the LT cable of 25 KVA transformer which was damaged at Dagpora. Before starting work on the said transformer, I repeatedly asked the officials to cut the power supply of the area. The officials present there assured me that power supply has been turned off,” he said.
“However, as I touched the line a high-voltage current ran through my body and I fell unconscious and the next thing I remember was that I found myself bed-ridden at a hospital.”
“I was shocked when I saw my right arm has been amputated from my shoulder. Since then, I have been living a harsh life,” Maqbool said.
After a pause, he said, that he has not received any penny from the department as compensation and due to their negligence his life has became unbearable and he finds it difficult to make his two ends meet.
“It was a huge task for me to meet the expenses of the treatment and to support my large family consisting of aged parents, wife and a son. I was the lone bread earner,” he said.
“The wages I get are not released on the time which creates lot of problems for me and my family,” he added.
Ghulam Nabi Bhat, father of Maqbool Bhat alleged that the concerned department is least bothered about their plight and have ditched him (Maqbool) after rendering him handicapped.
“I am an old person, how can I hold his hand and fulfill his medical and other expanses. It pitched me badly that no body from the department visited my house to see my son despite the fact my son has done great service for the department, “he said.
Meanwhile, the department claims that his case for seeking a compensation has been processed and the file has been send for disposal by a senior officer.
“We have already send his case to higher authority and we are hopefull that he will get compensation very soon,” AEE PDD, Ganderbal, Fayaz Ahmad said.
“It is not in our hands to compensate or to regularize him. We have recommended his case to the higher officials of the department, “he said.
When connected an official from the, PDD EM&RE wing said that the department has already lot of such cases pending and they are trying their best to get them cleared as soon as possible.
“His case is under progress and it will be resolved very soon, “he said.
KV Correspondent
