Electrical

Accident at Mendrajpur Village,

Kanisi, Ganjam

Dept of Energy,
Govt of Odisha
Time and Location of Accident Site

Accident occurred on: Location:

9th February 2020, 1.15 pm •Mendrajpur Chhaka,
Village Mendrajpur ,
Kanisi Block, Ganjam
•About 22 kms from Berhampur

Single Line Diagram of 11kV Line

 Accident Brief

• Sleeper coach bus “Silk City” came in contact with low sagging 11kV
conductor
• 10 persons reportedly got electrocuted and several injured. All are being
treated.
Preliminary Investigation

• Ground Clearance of conductor at accident spot was only 12

feet (3.6 meters). The bus, a sleeper coach’s height was 12 ft.
• Statutory minimum Ground Clearance across any street
prescribed 20 feet (6.1 meters)
• Raising of Road height (RD Road), clearance of the
conductor reduced further and finally remained 12 ft.
• Road height raised by 1.5 ft-2 ft by Cement Concrete road.
• Conductor span is crossing the road without guarding
protection.
• Guarding protection by GI wire is a mandatory provision for
crossing the road.
Preliminary Investigation
• Around 50 people were in the bus
• Bus while coming back from Denkalpadu village towards
Mendrajpur Chhaka came in contact with the live conductor
near the Chhaka.
• After the conductor entangled to bus, passengers jumped in
panic for survival
• While jumping, one foot and hand was on the doorstep and
handle and other foot touched the ground.
• Current from 11 kV line passed through these passengers who
made a path between charged bus and ground and got
electrocuted.
• Passengers who encountered less current flow through their
body, suffered injuries
• Finally Line isolated from Substation through circuit breaker
Preliminary Enquiry Conclusion
• Low ground Clearance of the conductor led to such accident
• After raising of Road height, the shifting of Poles from the
Road was not done by RD Dept since 2018.
• SouthCo submitted a proposal in July 2018 with estimate to
RD Dept for shifting of pole.
• Lack of follow up actions by SouthCo with the RD Dept. and
maintaining such low Ground Clearance without
precautionary measures for the public.
Images
 Analysis of Electrical Accident History
• 267 Accident cases for a period of 21 months (Jan ’18 to Sep ‘19) was
analysed
Sl Voltage CZ WZ SZ NEZ Avg
No level
LT
I LT (upto 31% 23% 21% 28% 26% 11kV
440 V) 33kV
II 11 kV 67% 69% 69% 68% 68% 132kV
III 33 kV 2% 5% 10% 5% 6%

IV 132 kV 0% 3% 0% 0% 1%

• 68% accidents occurred in 11 kV system followed by 26% in LT system.

• 224 fatalities were reported during this period.
Causes of Accident
Major Causes
Snapping of Conductors

Accidental Contact of Live wire

6% 15%
19% Violation of safety
measures/Lack of Supervision
6% 28% Defective
Appliances/Apparatus/Tools
5%
21% Inadequate /Lack of
Maintenance
Unauthorized work

Others
Causes of Accident
• Accidental Contact with live wires is the
significant cause (about 28%)
• April to September are found to be the
vulnerable months
• Kalabaisakhi (thunderstorm) and Rains causes
snapping of conductors and accidental contact.
• Long pole spans, low ground clearance, improper
pole erection and pole earthing, non availability
of anti rubbing devices are causes for
electrocution of elephants.
A few provisions of Central Electricity Authority
(CEA) Safety Regulations
• Minimum Ground Clearance of 11 kV bare Conductor (Regulation 58)
– Across the street - 6.1 meters (20 ft)
– Along the Street - 5.8 meters (19 ft)
– Elsewhere - 4.6 meters (15 ft)

• Clearance from buildings of lines of voltage exceeding 650V (Reg 61)

– upto and including 33kV- 3.7 meters (vertical clearance)
– Upto and including 11 kV- 1.2 meters (horizontal clearance)

• Erection or alteration of buildings/ Structures/ floodbanks/Elevation of

Roads (Reg 63)
– Intimation and permission of supply company and electrical inspector required if
any erection or alteration of above is taken subsequent to erection of overhead
line.
• Lines crossing street and road (Reg 69)
– Guarding shall be provided where lines with voltage not exceeding 33 kV
Remedial Action Plan
• Survey and identification of all vulnerable locations of 11kV and LT lines at all section levels
in 2-3 days
• Consolidated proposal for rectification to be prepared by Supt Engineer at circle level in 7
days.
• All Depts i.e. RD, PWD, PR Dept, H&UD, W.R., NH etc will be supplied with guidelines
providing the safety regulations requirements.
• The Departmental works which involve electrical infrastructure shall adhere to the
guidelines.
• Shifting of line & substation of remaining school & Anganwadi shall be completed soon on
priority
• All electrical inspectors will verify ground clearances, proper earthing, guarding etc
randomly and report inadequacies to DISCOMs.
• Safety training programme will be taken up and Master Trainers will be created.
• Awareness training will be conducted at each district level by the electrical inspector
involving DISCOM,other Govt. Depts and public. Mass Public awareness campaign shall be
taken up.
• Safety Manual as prescribed in the Electricity Regulations shall be prepared by DISCOM,
OPTCL etc.
• Each DISCOM/OPTCL shall designate safety officers for proper monitoring of safety
regulation compliances.
Provision of Earthed Terminal on Consumer Premises
• Regulation 16 of CEA: Supplier should provide suitable earthed terminal preferably
near the supply point of consumer premises.
• Due to lack of earthing some cases of domestic supply consumers getting
electrocuted while drying clothes on a metallic clothesline reported.
• Provision of mandatory earthing should be looked into by DISCOMS.
• SOUBHAGYA, DDUGJY, BGJY schemes for BPL families doesn’t have mandatory
earthing requirements.
Types of Earthing
 Year Wise Sanction of Funds to DISCOMs under different Schemes
Sl. No Name of the Scheme Amount (Rs. Cr) Released Financial Year Total (in Rs Cr)
100 2016-17
200 2017-18
1 DDUGJY 483.5
155.07 2018-19
28.42 2019-20
192.18 2018-19
2 Soubhagya 274.02
81.84 2019-20
21 2013-14
24.78 2014-15
Strengthening of electrical 27.2 2015-16
3 infrastructure in the elephant 20 2016-17 222.87
corridor 20 2017-18
9.92 2018-19
100 2019-20
20 2013-14
18.7 2014-15
0.5 2015-16
Shifting of lines from Schools &
4 0.73 2016-17 73.94
AWCs (2013-14) 11.8 2017-18
12.2 2018-19
10 2019-20
8.48 2013-14
4.45 2014-15
Underground Cabling of 1 2015-16
5 important institution and 1.76 2016-17 20.19
sites(2013-14) 0 2017-18
0.5 2018-19
4 2019-20