BUILDINGS UNDER HIGH TENSION POWER LINE AS A SELF-INDUCED SUICIDE
The issue of habitation is one of the critical needs of man all over the world. Infact, in Abraham Maslow’s five heirarchy needs, habitation called shelter among others like food, air, water, food, clothing is classified under the physiological needs which is the basic needs that must be met before man can graduate to fulfilling other needs in the heirarchy.
Shelter is critical to the whole essence of man, because without it and others in it’s classification as physiological needs being fulfilled, man cannot and will not be man. For a man to be able to give the best of himself to himself and the society at large, he or she must be accessed shelter or habitation which is critical for logical reasoning.
However, like in every other part of the world, accommodation or shelter because of its indispensability to the existence of man is a challenge due to a number of factors which is not the purpose of this intervention for now, but can be interrogated at some other opportuned time.
Like in Nigeria, housing is a contentious issue, like others and will remain so, because of its shortage in supply in comparison to the demand and need. The issue of habitation due to the ever-rising demands and needs of man, has resulted in a situation whereby human beings put up structures or buildings at places other than legally permitted by law and thus often require the intervention of the state to correct for safety, sanity, law and order.
The area of concern in this write up is the penchant of some Nigerians to put up structures under high tension power lines with its attendant risk to life and property. This area of public discourse today is an already over logged issue, with public knowledge about states governments through its statutory agencies issuing quit notices to defaulters to vacate such places and advisory against construction of structures, but history has established that despite repeated efforts by the state to dissuade citizens from this act of self-induced suicide, it has always fallen on deaf ears.
Why? Reason is that recently, one visited a state outside of one’s place of residence and observed that structures of all sorts were constructed right under the high tension power lines and you didn’t need to be told that they are all illegal structures since it’s common sensical to know that no government agency or department would have given approvals for such structures, but the reality is that our people wilfully ignore the need to protect their own lives in suicidally putting up such buildings against state regulations.
While in the environment, one kept hearing a strong vibrating sound and on inquiry, because one was confused as to the source of the repeated sound which was a strong disturbance to the ears, one was told that the sound is the output from the high-tension wires and that it’s 24 hours a day menace. To say, one was astonished that people could live with such noise on a daily basis without bothering about its consequences on their health and hearing system, speaks volume about how much premium we place on human health and well-being, which is rather unfortunate.
Because of the concern that the situation that one witnessed provoked, one had to do research on the above topic to be able to help educate the society so that we can prevent this self-induced suicide and save lives.
According to the findings, human habitation directly under high tension power lines poses significant risks due to potential electrocution hazards, fire risks, and potential long-term health concerns related to electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure.
Immediate Physical Dangers
Electrocution: The primary and most immediate danger is electric shock. High tension lines are uninsulated, and electricity can “flash over” or arc across a significant distance without direct contact. Using equipment like cranes, ladders, or even metal objects nearby can be instantly fatal.
Fallen Lines: Storms, strong winds, or accidents can cause lines to snap and fall to the ground. A live, fallen cable can energize the surrounding area and start fires, with the current capable of burning anything within a 30-meter radius.
Fires: Faulty lines, vegetation making contact with wires, or arcing can spark fires, which are especially dangerous in densely populated areas.
Step and Touch Potentials: In the event of a fault, electric current spreads through the ground. A person’s body can complete a circuit if their feet are at different voltage potentials (step potential) or if they touch an energized object and the ground simultaneously (touch potential), causing severe injury or death.
Potential Health Concerns
Living near high tension lines results in long-term exposure to Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields (EMFs).
Childhood Leukemia: While scientific studies have been mixed and debated for decades, some epidemiological research has found a statistical association, not a proven causal link, between high levels of magnetic field exposure and a small increased risk of childhood leukemia.
Other Potential Issues: Other reported, though largely inconclusive and unproven, associations from various studies include neurological and cardiovascular disorders, changes in cardiac rhythm, reduced sperm count, miscarriage, and general symptoms like headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and insomnia.
In view of the above findings which touch on human health, well-being and existence, one is of the opinion that hope we can all appreciate that living under high tension power line is a self-induced suicide, which should not be tolerated by any society, notwithstanding the circumstances.
Therefore, because of the primary reason of government which is the provision of security and welfare of its citizens, the state must do all within its powers under the law, to prevent further annihilation of humanity by removing human beings from living within the approved parameters of high-tension power lines.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,
Nelson Ekujumi
nelekujumi@gmail.com.
