Power a major killer in Karnataka

As many as 413 people and 426 animals including, two elephants were killed in electrical accidents in the state during 2011-12, a c c o r d i n g t o a n Energy Department report.

According to the report, between April 2011 to March 31,2012, as many as 1,494 accidents took place.

Out of this, 413 were fatal for humans and 223 were nonfatal.

Meanwhile, 426 accidents proved fatal for animals and 432 fire accidents caused animal deaths.

About 155 people died by touching live lines and apparatus and 56 died owing to snapping of conductors.

Another 29 persons died due to faults in internal consumer installation and accidental energisation of metal supports took the lives of 25 more people.

The reports stated that leakage of current and energisation of earth wire had caused the death of 20 more persons, 13 were killed owing to unauthorised energisation of fencing, five died from falling of tree branches on wires and another three were killed due to felling of poles.

Another 82 persons died due to other accidents involving electricity.

Apart from the two elephants, several cattle heads and wild bores were killed.

Snapping of conductors killed 152 animals, leakage of current and energisation of earth wires killed over 149, followed by falling of tree branches (45), touching of live wire (18), energisation of metal supports (26) and 16 died due other accidents.