Another life was lost. Another family shattered. Another inquiry was ordered. And the cycle continues.
On a grim morning in Post Wada, Honda in Sattari taluka, 35-year-old lineman Chandru Gaonkar met a tragic and preventable end. Chandru, a resident of Morlem-Sattari, was electrocuted while performing maintenance work on an electric pole. Eyewitnesses say he remained stuck to the pole after the fatal shock, despite the frantic efforts of locals to save him. His assistant, Sarvesh Gaonkar, also suffered an electric shock and fell from the pole, surviving with injuries. His condition is currently stable.
The tragedy has rightly shaken the local community — but this is not an isolated event. It is part of a disturbing pattern that points to systemic neglect and administrative apathy. In just the past year, at least three linemen in Goa have lost their lives on duty. They died not because of a natural disaster or an unforeseeable risk, but due to preventable conditions and glaring safety lapses that continue to be ignored.
Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar has ordered a probe. That is the routine response. What comes of these probes? Are their recommendations acted upon? Are there any visible course corrections? More importantly, has anyone in the department been held accountable for these deaths?
Let us be clear: every time a lineman climbs an electric pole, he is risking his life. It is one of the most dangerous public service jobs in India. Yet, basic safety gear — helmets, gloves, insulated boots, harnesses — are often either missing, substandard, or not enforced as mandatory. The linemen are typically contract workers or daily wage employees, barely trained and rarely insured. When a mishap occurs, the response is a well-scripted PR playbook — a statement of sorrow, an inquiry, and in some cases, compensation.
But where is the accountability?
Were safety audits done before Chandru and Sarvesh were assigned the task? Was the power line checked and de-energized before they climbed the pole? Did either have certified training for the maintenance work being conducted? If not, who cleared their work order? And will anyone in the hierarchy answer these questions — not on an internal note, but publicly and transparently?
It is important to note that the department is not lacking in talent or technical leadership.
Chief Electrical Engineer Stephen Fernandes and Superintendent Engineer Mayur Hede are highly qualified professionals who have previously worked with top private sector firms. Their expertise and vision can bring much-needed reform, but only if they are given a free hand to implement systemic changes without political interference. These are men who understand both ground realities and modern safety standards — but their hands must not be tied by bureaucracy or inertia.
Sadly, those who dare to challenge irregularities within the system are often punished, not rewarded. Engineers like Kashinath Shetye, known for consistently standing up against illegalities and inefficiencies, face frequent transfers and administrative sidelining. Instead of being supported for upholding integrity, they are shuffled around to suppress their voice and actions. This culture of punishing honesty is a major reason why institutional rot continues unchallenged, and why safety reforms never move beyond paper.
Safety cannot be a token checkbox in government departments. The Electricity Department, and the government at large, must institutionalize safety protocols that are non-negotiable. There needs to be a safety officer at every division whose sole job is to ensure that every line-related operation meets safety standards. Linemen should not be allowed to work unless they are provided with and are wearing approved safety gear. Any supervisor or officer who bypasses these norms must be held personally accountable, even suspended.
In developed countries, a death during maintenance work triggers not just departmental inquiries but also investigations by independent safety watchdogs. Why doesn’t Goa — a state that boasts of high literacy and development indices — demand the same rigour?
The larger question is this: What value do we place on the life of a lineman?
These are the invisible men who keep our homes lit, our industries running, and our hospitals functional. We depend on them every day, yet treat their safety as an afterthought. There is a cruel irony in the fact that the very infrastructure they maintain is often the cause of their death — because the system fails to protect them.
Enough of inquiries that gather dust. Enough of condolences that ring hollow. What Goa needs is a safety overhaul in the Power Department — mandatory safety checks, periodic training, worker insurance, and most critically, administrative accountability.
Until then, the deaths of Chandru Gaonkar and others like him will be mourned briefly, forgotten quickly, and repeated tragically.
