LAHORE: Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) linemen still await the promised danger allowance worth Rs 5,000 per month, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Former LESCO chief executive officer (CEO) Azhar Iqbal had promised to pay Rs 5,000 per month as danger allowance to each lineman. The promise was made in April and Iqbal at Bakhtiar Labour Hall announced, “Linemen work under dangerous conditions and it is their right to get danger allowance and it has been approved at Rs 5,000 per month.” However, the decision is still pending.
LESCO linemen are looking up to the new LESCO CEO Saleem Akhtar for the allowance’s provision, said a LESCO lineman Ahmed Ghani. LESCO sources said the company lacked funds to give danger allowance to linemen and the matter could delay further by two months. LESCO used to pay Rs 500 per month danger allowance to linemen but some two years ago the amount was raised to Rs 1,000.
However, considering the amount of risk linemen take, LESCO decided to further increase the amount to Rs 5,000 per month. There are around 2,000 linemen working in different sub-divisions of the city. LESCO has 200 sub-divisions under its jurisdiction and each sub-division has 12 to 15 linemen.
Every year, on an average, more than 100 linemen are electrocuted and hundreds are injured while repairing electric lines. According to safety rules, every lineman should be provided with one pair of rubber gloves, leather gloves, helmet, safety shoes and belt. Without the kit, no lineman is allowed to operate and if LESCO does not give the kit then the lineman has the right to refuse to climb the electric pole.
“Often we are not provided safety kits and we have to climb the poles without the equipment.
Our life is always at risk and even then if we are not given danger allowance,” said a lineman Khalid Mehmood. He said other distribution companies like Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) has started giving allowance to its linemen but LESCO is not doing so. LESCO Additional Director Public Relations Javed Ahmed Khan said, “Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) has approved the danger allowance.
However, the matter is pending, as LESCO Board of Directors (BoD) has not yet approved it. Linemen will get the allowance as soon BoD approves it.”
