From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) Plc has warned hunters, farmers, cigarette smokers and others against indiscriminate bush burning as the harmattan season sets in.
The season is characterised by dryness of leaves, trees, objects littered around, which makes it easy for such substances to be ignited and for the fire to spread fast beyond its originating points.
Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, in a statement, said the appeal was timely owing to the fact that fire outbreak remained the most common risk during harmattan.
Ezeh recounted the losses the company had incurred in the past as a result of uncontrolled and indiscriminate burning of bushes and refuse dumps and prayed that such experience would never repeat this season.
“Our network spans through, bushes, forests, neighbourhoods, farmlands etc, and any form of burning, if uncontrolled could lead to a fire outbreak which may damage transformers, feeder pillar units, and the lines with their associated accessories, in addition to loss of lives, loss of electricity supply and other properties.
“Over the years, it has become traditional that bushes are burnt during the harmattan season for various reasons which mostly include helping hunters to drive bush animals out of their hiding places for easy catch while some might be to enable farmers prepare such lands for the next farming season, to mention but a few. Whatever may be the reason behind bush burning, it is advised that such fires are controlled so they do not escalate to unintended locations.”