Bangalore: Bescom awareness film & much drama

The sight of cameramen, ‘actors’ and arc lights at a location has such an overwhelming effect on people that they forget everything and crowd around to find out what is happening. Such was the case between 4th and 6th main road in Malleswaram 13th Cross, where a ‘film’ shoot took place on Saturday evening.

So engrossed were the passersby that none realised that the shooting was taking place even as residents of the adjacent building bore the misery of having to spend well over an hour without electricity.

Officials of Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) were making an awareness film on the new safety equipment the civic agency has procured – rubber gloves and helmets that can warn linesmen of a possible electrocution to allow them to take precautionary measures.

However, the time chosen by the Bescom to begin its shoot – 6 pm – was not well received by the residents. Interestingly, the linesmen who were acting in the film were equipped with all the safety gear – a sight that is seldom seen when regular linesmen are at work.

Bescom public relations officer Geetha Chavan, who was present at the location, said: “We were shooting the film to make Bescom linesmen and employees aware about the safety measures that can be in place when they used the new safety equipment we have procured.”

But when pointed out that all this was being done by putting the residents of the adjacent building at inconvenience, she was instantly apologetic. “We had informed the engineers to provide an alternative line for the building when this work was in progress,” she said.

But a junior engineer present there sheepishly said: “The next time we do this, we will ensure that alternative arrangements are made.”