Uncapped & unsafe: No protection for 391 transformers, ‘caps stolen'
Official figures tabled in the state assembly reveal that caps of 1,451 transformers were missing or stolen, and 391 are currently without protective caps—most of them stolen or missing.
The data was shared by energy minister Pradyumn Singh Tomar in response to a question raised by MLA Atif Aqueel. According to the minister's reply, the missing caps are stolen or damaged by anti-social elements with the intention to sell them.
The zone-wise data attached to the reply shows that areas like Shahpura, Kolar, BHEL, Govindpura, and Chhola are among the worst affected. While the department has initiated cap replacement in several areas, many remaining pending, despite theft complaints being lodged with the police.
"These caps are not decorative. They are critical safety covers that shield live parts," said sources from the discom. "Without them, even a light drizzle or public contact can trigger an accident," added sources.
'Power Struggle' In Assembly Over Electrocution Deaths
The minister claimed that steps are being taken to replace the missing caps and monitor vulnerable zones. Congress MLA from Bhopal (North), Atif Aqueel had asked a query regarding the death of people due to electrocution after coming into contact with damaged transformers.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
The energy minister said that transformers were not damaged.
However, covers of distribution boxes of 1,451 transformers were found damaged or stolen in a survey carried out in Feb 2025.
He admitted to the death of only one child, Vansh, in Arera Colony after he came into contact with a damaged distribution box of a transformer while playing cricket on May 30, 2025.
And as of July 12, 1,090 have been replaced, and 391 are yet to be replaced, said the information provided in the reply.
He also mentioned that no casualties have taken place since Jan 2024 due to electrocution after a person came into contact with a damaged transformer/DP.
This statement enraged Aqueel, who accused the officials of not disclosing the truth to the minister, thereby making him give misleading information in the House. Aqueel claimed that at least four persons have died of electrocution after coming into contact with a damaged transformer or DP in his constituency alone.
Demanding action against officials responsible for furnishing wrong information to mislead the House, Aqueel said it amounts to undermining the decorum of the House.
Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar, however, said that if any MLA has a doubt that wrong or incomplete information has been given in reply to his question, he can approach the 'Question Reference Committee' of the House with a complaint.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
12 minutes ago
- Economic Times
'Trump is speaking nonsense against India & Modi is silently listening': Congress slams govt over US' latest tariff threat
The Congress on Monday criticised the Modi government following U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff announcement against India. Calling out Modi's silence, the party questioned why he was 'afraid of Trump.' Jairam Ramesh mocked past BJP slogans and diplomacy, saying the U.S. actions expose the failure of an image-driven foreign policy. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Trump's latest threat Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India-US Trade ties Congress on Monday criticised the central government over U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of slapping more tariffs on India. "Trump is speaking nonsense against India every day, and Narendra Modi is silently listening to everything," said the grand old party in a post on social media platform X."Why is Modi so afraid of Trump?," the party asked in its Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh echoing a similar sentiment, said, "So much for Howdy Modi. So much for Namaste Trump. So much for Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar. So much for BJP MPs hailing Narendra Modi as India's trumpcard.""Despite all the hugs, all the handshakes, all the high-decibel bromance — 'My friend Dolaand' has delivered yet another jolt. What has come of the much-vaunted front-row seat for our EAM at his inauguration? Or for the PM being one of the first to land at the White House?""Tariffs are being slapped. Negotiations are going nowhere. But Asim Munir, the man whose invective was the backdrop for the Pahalgam terror attacks, gets lunch at the White House."This is what happens when foreign policy becomes about image-building, not national interest, he a fresh trade threat against India, Trump on Monday said he will "substantially" raise US tariffs on New Delhi, accusing it of buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling it for big week, the Trump administration slapped a 25 per cent duty on all Indian goods. The US president also announced a penalty for buying "vast majority" of Russian military equipment and crude oil, but no mention was made in the notification."India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," Trump said in a social media post on Monday."They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he its reaction, India said it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 per cent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 per cent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after August 1, Trump signed an Executive Order titled 'Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates', raising tariffs for over five dozen countries, including a steep 25 per cent for executive order, however, did not mention the 'penalty' that Trump had said India will have to pay because of its purchases of Russian military equipment and House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, in an interview to Fox News Sunday, stated that President Trump has said very clearly that 'it is not acceptable for India to continue financing" the Ukraine war by purchasing oil from week, Trump mounted a sharp attack on India and Russia for their close ties and said the two countries can take their "dead economies down together", a remark which prompted New Delhi to say that India is the world's fastest-growing major that the US has a massive trade deficit with India, Trump had said that while 'India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any country."Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine — All things not good!' Trump had announcements are being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US in the proposed trade agreement with India. The US is seeking duty concessions for its agriculture, dairy and genetically modified (GM) foods. India is against giving any concessions in these sectors as they involve the livelihood of millions of small and marginalised Delhi has said that it is studying the implications of these tariffs and is still hopeful of concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial trade far five rounds of negotiations have been held between the two countries. For the next round of talks, the US team is coming to India on August 25. The talks will go on till August historically bought most of its oil from the Middle East, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia. However, things changed when Russia invaded Ukraine in February the world's third-largest crude importer after China and the US, began snapping up Russian oil that was available at a discount after some in the West shunned it as a means to punish Moscow for its invasion of a market share of just 0.2 per cent in India's import basket before the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia overtook Iraq and Saudi Arabia to become India's No.1 supplier, with a share as high as 40 per cent at one point of July, Russia supplied 36 per cent of all crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel, that India 2021-25, the US was India's largest trading partner. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in bilateral America, India had a trade surplus (the difference between imports and exports) of USD 35.32 billion in goods in 2023-24. It was USD 41 billion in 2024-25 and USD 27.7 billion in 2024-25, bilateral trade between India and the US reached USD 186 billion. India exported USD 86.5 billion in goods while importing USD 45.3 services, India exported an estimated USD 28.7 billion and imported USD 25.5 billion, adding a USD 3.2 billion surplus. Altogether, India ran a total trade surplus of about USD 44.4 billion with the 2024, India's main exports to the US included drug formulations and biologicals (USD 8.1 billion), telecom instruments (USD 6.5 billion), precious and semi-precious stones (USD 5.3 billion), petroleum products (USD 4.1 billion), vehicle and auto components (USD 2.8 billion), gold and other precious metal jewellery (USD 3.2 billion), ready-made garments of cotton, including accessories (USD 2.8 billion), and products of iron and steel (USD 2.7 billion).Imports included crude oil (USD 4.5 billion), petroleum products (USD 3.6 billion), coal, coke (USD 3.4 billion), cut and polished diamonds (USD 2.6 billion), electric machinery (USD 1.4 billion), aircraft, spacecraft and parts (USD 1.3 billion), and gold (USD 1.3 billion).
Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Rahul Gandhi ‘certified anti-national', says BJP after Supreme Court pulls up Congress MP
The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, describing him as a "certified anti-national" after the Supreme Court reprimanded him over his remarks about the Indian Army. BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said with the top court's observations, Rahul Gandhi's credibility has gone down to "zero".(PTI) The BJP alleged that Gandhi has vowed to "weaken India and strengthen China", claiming that the "China Guru" and his party "hate" the Indian armed forces. They demanded an apology from him and the Congress for his remarks. The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha before a Lucknow court for his remarks about the Army during his December 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra. However, the top court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih slammed Gandhi, saying that he would not say such a thing if he were a true Indian. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a post on X that for the first time in India's parliamentary history, a Supreme Court had to make a "stern remark" against a Leader of the Opposition. "Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have a history of insulting the army, whether it is the surgical strike or Operation Sindoor. They have questioned the sacrifices of our brave soldiers at every opportunity," Pradhan said in a post on X. He said that the Congress' loyalty is not to the nation but only to one family, which is why respect for the nation is not even a part of their "fundamental thinking". "Today, the entire country is hurt by this anti-national mentality and expects an apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress," Pradhan added. BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also cited the apex court's observations and alleged that Rahul Gandhi keeps making "immature, irresponsible and anti-India comments" even though various courts have rapped the Congress leader for such remarks in the past. "Today when the Supreme Court's comment has come, it won't be wrong to say that Rahul Gandhi has certainly vowed to weaken India and strengthen China," Bhatia said during a press conference. Rahul has 'Pakistan, China in his veins BJP IT head department Amit Malviya took to X to slam 'China Guru' Rahul Gandhi. He said, "The Supreme Court has once again reprimanded 'China Guru' Rahul Gandhi for making irresponsible statements concerning India's national security and territorial integrity." "Imagine, a leader of the opposition being repeatedly rebuked for speaking such recklessly," he added. "Rahul Gandhi is now a certified anti-national," Malviya charged in another post. During the press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Bhatia also showed a purported picture of Rahul Gandhi signing some document in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The BJP spokesperson claimed that the LoP signed a party-to-party memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Communist Party of China. "That's why Rahul Gandhi was saying that our soldiers were thrashed by Chinese soldiers, be it (in) Doklam or Galwan, while every Indian was standing by India and brave soldiers of India," he said. Bhatia added that they never tell the people of India what was in that MoU with the Communist Party of China. "It seems Rahul Gandhi has love for China and Pakistan in his veins, but no love for India," Bhatia added. The BJP spokesperson termed the Supreme Court's observations as "very serious" and said that with this, Gandhi's credibility has gone down to "zero". "Does India deserve a more responsible and a better Leader of Opposition (LoP)? As the LoP who has taken oath under the Constitution to protect the sovereignty of our country, is he destroying the sovereignty of our country? Is he helping nations that are inimical to our country? Is he demoralising the brave Indian armed forces?" he asked. Additionally, BJP leader Amit Malviya took on the Congress leader for his "dead" economy remark, calling it a "diplomatic disaster on multiple fronts". "His recent 'dead economy' jibe is just the latest in a long series. In doing so, he implicitly admitted that Russia, a long-standing ally, is struggling, while bizarrely endorsing a hostile state like Pakistan as having a robust economy," he said. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla referred to Gandhi's remarks on the surgical strike and Operation Sindoor, alleging that the Congress leader and his party "hate" Indian armed forces. In a post on X, he said, "Sena ka Apman Congress ki pehchan (Insulting the Army is the hallmark of the Congress). Rahul and Congress hate Indian Armed Forces. Today SC has slammed him." BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also said that the Supreme Court's condemnation of Gandhi exposed him. "Supreme Court asks Rahul Gandhi - 'How did you know that China had occupied land?'" he said. Bhandari said that this question did not "expose" Gandhi, but further got the attention back on the "secret MoU that Gandhi-Vadra family had with China". "Rahul is working under the remote control of foreign forces," he charged.
Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Netanyahu's IDF stuns U.S.? Israel accused of failing to protect American in West Bank blaze
Netanyahu's IDF stuns U.S.? Israel accused of failing to protect American in West Bank blaze
