Dasara lighting puts safety, compliance in spotlight

Tumakuru: As the City gears up for Tumakuru Dasara celebration, questions are being raised over the safety and legality of the elaborate electrical illumination being installed across the City, with allegations that power is being drawn directly from streetlight poles without obtaining the mandatory permission from Bescom.The practice has continued for the past two years, with Tumakuru City Corporation overseeing the arrangements. However, Bescom officials have not been approached for permission or payment of electricity charges.As per the procedure, the civic body has to deposit an amount based on the sanctioned load and obtain temporary power supply, besides paying charges for the electricity consumed. However, no such payment is said to have been made to Bescom in the past two years. Permission has not been sought this year either, officials said.“If the civic body submits a request, Bescom can make arrangements for a separate temporary power supply. But no such request has been made in the last two years. Civic body personnel have been carrying out the work as they please,” said a Bescom official, who did not wish to be named.Dasara elephants, horses acquainted with cannon fire shotsThe official also expressed concern over safety, pointing out that several transformers in different parts of the City had been damaged during last year’s Dasara. “This directly affects the public. With large crowds expected at several locations, even a minor lapse could lead to a major mishap,” the official said.Bescom officials are also unaware of the extent of the illumination work, including the length of roads covered, the number of power points identified by the civic body and the quantity of electricity consumed during the previous two years.Rising expenditureThe scale and cost of the illumination have been increasing every year. The district administration organised Dasara celebration for the first time in 2024, when about 12 km of roads were decorated with lights.In 2025, illumination was extended to 23 km at a cost of Rs 41 lakh. This year, the coverage has increased to 27 km, with the work already progressing at a brisk pace.Special illumination is scheduled to be inaugurated on October 11, the opening day of Dasara festivities.No permission, says RTI reply Social activist G S Basavaraju had filed an application under the Right to Information Act seeking details of permission obtained and electricity charges paid for the illumination during Dasara celebration organised by the district administration from September 21 to October 3 2025. In its reply dated September 19 this year the Bescom executive engineer stated that no permission had been obtained for the electrical illumination arranged for Dasara. “No security deposit was made and no electricity charges were paid. If that is the case where did the money spent on electricity go? There has been a financial irregularity involving lakhs of rupees in the name of Dasara illumination” Basavaraju alleged.

Source: Deccan Herald