‘Legs’ stolen, 2 Punjab power transmission towers crash

BATHINDA : Vandals are known to target angle bars, nuts and wires of power transmission towers, but in Bathinda district, thieves dismantled the legs (also known as members) of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) towers located in a forested tract from the 2nd storey of the structure — 15 feet above the ground. This resulted in the collapse of two towers of a 66 kV line and damaging of the third one.
This ‘heavy-duty’ theft led to the snapping of electricity supply to a part of Rampura Phul and 30 villages falling under grids of Jeond, Jethuke and Gill Kalan in this sweltering heat.
It will take two to three days to erect the towers and restore supply. The collapse of the towers is impeding the work of farmers of the impacted area as they were to start direct seeding of rice (DSR) from Friday.
It is being alleged that drug addicts unbolted the members of the structure over two weeks, leading to the pylons crashing. Another tower close by too collapsed while the stub (base) of the third one developed cracks. The targeted tower was located in a small forested area and the approach to it was not visible. One way to reach it was by passing through stagnant muddy water.