who operates a food stall a few feet away from the pole
| …pipeline to Jagdeo’s mansion blamed for pole collapseSeveral villages between Le Ressouvenir and Cummings Lodge, East CoastThe suspended pole at the Sparendaam Public Road with wire lying across the road.Demerara, were without electricity for close to three hours yesterday after a power pole fell, sending wires across the Sparendaam Public Road.The pole was merely suspended by electrical wires from other surrounding poles as it hung several feet from the ground. This had several electrical wires lying across the road forcing traffic ranks to divert a long build up of traffic onto the railway line.A representative from the power company, Delwey Perry, who spoke with this publication, said that upon after receiving the call, the emergency crew immediately shut down power supply to the area and its environs.Upon arriving at the scene, Perry said they launched an inspection and it was found that the pole fell as a result of weakened soil at the base.When this publication arrived on the scene around 01:30 hours, Perry and his crew were still awaiting back up. Perry explained that the affected areas would have been out of power for a while since another pole would have had to be replanted.The pole collapse did not go down well with residents who said that the situation was a disaster in the making for a while now.One man, Gary Beckles, who operates a food stall a few feet away from the pole,The build up of traffic being diverted off of the East Coast Demerara corridor.said a contractor had recently dug up an area mere inches away from the base of the pole.“Late last year these people come and dig up this place laying pipes to run water fuh de President in he housing scheme (former President Bharrat Jagdeo), then another set come dig up saying they starting four-lane road.”Beckles questioned if it’s not common knowledge for any contractor to know that constant digging around a utility pole would eventually weaken the soil.The man said that yesterday was just one of many such to come as work continues along East Coast Demerara with the four-lane highway.Similar views were expressed by another resident. Rudolph Wills, who told this publication that contractors should pay keen attention to the works of their colleagues and show consideration for other works.“The road people came, they dig around the same area, then GWI come, dig back the same area to do their work and all the time they weakening these poles,” Wills lamented.At the time the pole collapsed there were no vehicles in the vicinity. The police were forced to divert both east and westbound traffic to the Railway Embankment, causing congestion at various points along the embankment. |
