LAHORE  - Thousands of power wing workers of electricity companies observed “Safety Days” on Wednesday under the aegis of All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union all over the country to protest over rising fatal and non-fatal accidents of the line staff working on the electricity poles. More than 250 members of the line staff die on account of fatal accidents and far more become permanently disabled every year.
At Lahore, hundreds of power wing workers and trade union representatives participated in Safety Conference held under the presidentship of veteran trade union leader Khurshid Ahmed, General Secretary of the Union. They demanded the management and the government to intervene and get ensured provisions of “Safe Working Conditions” to the power workers in accordance with Electricity Act and get provided standard safety equipments including bucket fitted vehicle etc.
The participants urged to the members of the line staff to refuse to work in case of unsafe working conditions in accordance with the agreement reached with the management and not to work on the risk of their lives in any circumstances. The conference was also addressed by Haji Muhammad Younus, Rana Abdul Shakoor, Syed Sajid Kazmi, Ch Maqsood, Ch Javed Ahmed and Osama Tariq. A large number of widows of employees who died due to fatal accidents while performing their duties also attended in the safety conference.
At this occasion, it was informed that LESCO had been recruiting new hands to relieve high burden over the senior old employees. At this occasion, the appointment letters were delivered to the male and female children of the deceased workers.