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Who is at Fault? Heat Stroke Deaths in Karachi

May Allah Almighty Bless those who died due to heat in Karachi during last one week.

Media Reports they are more than 800 now.

I have to sadly believe its much more because not every one can reach to ambulance, hospital or a relief camp.

Like always some of the political administrators of the state have started finger pointing towards each other to get to the defaulters or should I say, “avoid being highlighted as defaulters”.

I wish and wait for that day when someone can stand off from his administrative position and accept that it was his mistake.

1. For those who were using electricity for decades without paying bills it is due to load shedding and K-Electric because since last few years they are being dealt with merit.
2. For those hospitals who never bothered about heat stroke centres or good emergency facilities it is because of provincial health managers and accountants.
3. For the federal government it is provincial subject and for the provincial government it is federal failure.
4. Media feels it is right moment to first denounce anyone as cause of heat stroke deaths and then get funds from those bothered about their media image.
5. A common citizen is not only suffering from heat stroke but also confusion strokes.
6. Air Conditioning Companies seek this as biggest opportunity.

BUT

There are few facts we need to understand, as whole

1. The Real Test of Teams is in the hours of crisis’s so Instead of pointing fingers at each other lets gather and collect as team to deal with the do.
2. Secondly we should be very clear in our minds that its not just Karachi or Pakistan. In India southern rural areas as well as Allahabad more than 500-600 People have died due to heat and rising temperatures. In England by 2050 AD according to a research report the %age of people dying because of Heat Strokes or Hot Temperatures will rise by 257%. Florida USA has been hit number of times with such unpleasant Heat Waves. So instead of playing politics lets move ahead with strategic measures.

1. K-Electric has by now become 101 Years old organization. For 90 Years it travelled at a different pace. In last one decade it has almost added 1000 more MWs of electricity into Karachi through efficient planning. Many more projects are underway. Things are moving in the right directions for the right people.
2. There are hundreds of pressure groups, feudals, organizational defaulters who still expect electricity free of cost. Many of them are living in the middle of common people so that they can use common people as victims during load shedding and poise events to their own benefits.
3. For those who hale from Punjab or upper Pakistan they would know that Karachi as compared to rest of Pakistan has minimal load shedding hours.
4. One Technical reason that we often miscalculate is the tripping’s caused by unnecessary, unauthorized and Kunda type additions on our distributed load panels/PMTs/Transformer. 99 out of every 100 Trips that we come across in our areas is largely due to those neighbourhood feudals who put on more loads than actually bearable by the PMT of that area.

1. Last but not the least if such scorching summers can affect humans who have potentials to dislodge mountains we also need to understand this heat will affect plants, processes, machines, wires, cables, loads, workmanship spirit and even management at all levels.

 

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Written by Captain Zahid Faqir (Retired), MSIR, MAIR, NEBOSH & IOSH-UK

Working as Deputy General Manager Health, Safety, Environment & Quality at 560 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant at K-Electric Limited, Bin Qasim, Port Qasim Authority, Karachi, Pakistan. Subsidiary of Abhraj Group, UAE.

Earlier Worked as Head of HSE for US 340 M $ Direct Reduction Iron Plant, owned jointly by Al Tuwairqi Group, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and POSCO, South Korea during its construction, commissioning and then its subsequent operations.

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