Electrocution has increased in Sri Lanka due to lack of awareness
Around 200 deaths have been due to electrocution in the period 2008-2012 and destruction caused to property but this figure has come down due to an awareness programme, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) said this week. “After the awareness campaign in 2013, the death rate dropped to 75 but it climbed again to 90 last year. We then realised that a drastic programme was needed to save people from such disasters,” said PUCSL Director General of Damitha Kumarasinghe addressing a media briefing in Colombo.
He said handling of electric equipment without any safeguards was a dangerous task and the PUCSL sought the advice of many university professors, engineers and other professionals and manufacturers and importers of such items to have a prescribed standard size on the use of plugs and sockets were concerned. ”We are relentlessly engaged in a campaign to educate the public on the use of plugs and sockets available in the market and the dangers of handling such equipment.
We have also discussed the matter with the manufacturers of such items regarding the hazards posed to the public and the manufacturers too have not shown any resentment to such proposals.” PUCSL Chairman Saliya Mathew noted that the commission will implement a national standard programme in Sri Lanka for non-industrial application to safeguard electricity consumers. He said the PUCSL was established in 2002 under an Act of Parliament and was empowered in 2009 to regulate activities of the Sri Lanka Electricity Board. Director Inspectorate of PUCSL Nalatha Sapumanage explained the hazards of handling plugs and sockets sold in the market.
| Square pin plugs and sockets in future in SL | |
| Sri Lanka is implementing the square pin as the standard type plugs and sockets for non – industrial use (households) after Cabinet approval was given on August 16 to the proposal that plugs and sockets in future should be manufactured or imported according to a national standard. Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Director General Damitha Kumarasinghe said in places like the US, Europe and Japan there is standard size use of plugs and sockets. In future all manufacture of all plugs and sockets will be according to a prescribed standard. “There is no need for people in households to affix new plugs and sockets prescribed by the commission unless there is a breakdown. In such circumstances following a breakdown the prescribed plugs and sockets will have to be used.” |