41 Power Workers Dead in Jammu Kashmir as Safety Concerns Grip PDD Operations | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: As many as 41 workers associated with the Power Development Department (PDD) lost their lives in electrical accidents across Jammu and Kashmir in 2025, exposing the scale of risk faced by frontline electricity staff and raising concerns over safety preparedness.

Official data shows that the fatalities include 20 regular PDD employees and 21 workers engaged as PDL/TDL daily wagers. Alongside the deaths, a significant number of workers were also injured in separate incidents, with 10 regular employees and 15 daily wagers reported to have sustained injuries during the same period.

The figures emerge even as the government outlined the distribution of safety equipment to field staff during the current financial year 2025–26. According to the department, 534 safety helmets, 1,004 safety belts and 811 safety shoes have been provided. Additional equipment includes 50 high-voltage detectors, 52 discharge rods and 176 earthing discharge rods. However, only eight pairs of gloves—considered essential for handling live electrical systems—were distributed, raising questions about adequacy and prioritisation of safety gear.

The department has stated that safety equipment is being issued “as per the requirements of the job and prescribed safety norms,” though the mismatch between fatality figures and protective provisioning is likely to come under scrutiny.

On compensation, the government said that ex-gratia relief and financial assistance in all such accident cases are currently under process within the respective corporations, suggesting that payments to affected families and injured workers are yet to be finalised.

The policy framework further highlights a disparity between categories of workers. Regular employees are covered under the Jammu and Kashmir Compassionate Appointment Rules (SRO-43 of 1994) and the Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme, 2022, which provide for compassionate appointments and insurance benefits in cases of death or disability.

In contrast, there is no provision for compassionate appointment for the next of kin of deceased PDL/TDL workers. The government reiterated that engagement of such daily wagers has already been prohibited since March 2015 under administrative orders, leaving their families without structured post-death support mechanisms.

Regarding future measures, the department said safety equipment distribution is ongoing and training is being imparted through the Chief Electrical Inspector. However, it did not specify any timeline for introducing enhanced safety systems such as advanced protective gear, mandatory safety audits, expanded insurance coverage or a comprehensive rehabilitation framework for high-risk field personnel.