The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under a power distribution program has launched a 'Quick impact safety training program' in Hyderabad for linesmen of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco).
USAID's consultants have been given an office in the Ministry of Water and Power with the objective of extending all possible expertise to the government of Pakistan (GoP) in resolving power sector issues, including advice on power sector reforms, progress on which remains negligible.
The scope of the program extends to imparting the same training in safety procedures to over 9,000 linesmen across nine power distribution companies in Pakistan. Besides Hesco the other beneficiaries of the program include Iesco in Islamabad, Mepco in Multan, Pesco in Peshawar, Gepco in Gujranwala, Qesco in Quetta, Lesco in Lahore and Sepco in Sukkur.
The inauguration exercise initiated the project on Saturday at the regional training centre in Jamshoro (Hesco) and is expected to train 620 linesmen of the disco in intensive safety training methods. Trainers conducting this training at Hesco as well as their counterparts from other discos completed their training on safety procedures earlier this month at the Rescue 1122 training school in Rawalpindi after being selected for maximum impact. They will replicate the training they received at their respective discos to make the project long lasting and sustainable.