Kottayam. With high-voltage power lines hanging within arm’s reach, residents near Kanjiram Jetty are living on edge, keeping a round-the-clock vigil to avert a tragedy. The hazardous stretch extends for about 150 meters, directly threatening the five families residing along the path. The lines began sagging dangerously after an electric pole's stay wire snapped. Despite repeated appeals from locals, the authorities have turned a blind eye. Parents say the situation has gotten so precarious that they cannot let their children walk to or from school unescorted, constantly fearing a fatal mishap.

Highlighting the imminent peril, Reji Kurian of Mambarambil, Kanjiram, phoned the Kumarakom KSEB office on August 23, 27, and 29. Each time, officials cited staff shortages and brushed it off with a promise to fix it after the Onam holidays. Yet, days have passed since the festivities ended, and not a single line has been raised. Residents allege that officials have not even bothered to inspect the site.

When the matter was escalated to KSEB’s central grievance cell in Thiruvananthapuram, it was met with classic bureaucratic buck-passing - the helpline simply redirected the complaint right back to the local Kumarakom office. With the recent rains, the sagging cables have begun brushing against each other, setting off alarming showers of sparks.

Locals point out that simply installing a new stay wire on the utility pole would pull the lines back to a safe height; leaving it neglected will inevitably cause the snapped lines to collapse entirely. Adding to the peril, a nearby transformer near the boat jetty has been completely overtaken by thick, wild undergrowth.

Meanwhile, KSEB officials maintain that the existing power lines in the area will soon be replaced altogether.