With Eid-ul-Azha around the corner, streets across Karachi begin to show the hustle and bustle as children and adults spend time outside tending to their animals.
For the past few years, Eid has been coinciding with the monsoon season, which means we must be vigilant in creating a safe environment for everyone.
Many of the animals are housed outside homes and tethered to windows, gates, and railings.
Sometimes, however, they can also be tied to streetlight poles or utility infrastructure, which is a grave hazard. It is very common to find wires from the internet and TV cables dangle dangerously.
Any unintentional contact between animals and live electrical wires can result in electrical shocks, injuries, and in the worst case, fatalities.
We may also get swept in the festivities and set up lights on the street with the help of the local electrician who may not always use the safest methods to connect these lights with the power supply. If wires are not properly insulated or secured, they can cause accidents, especially if it rains.
It is also common to set up temporary tents to shelter the animals, which is certainly a better option than using electric installations for the purpose.
Make sure that these tents are secure against wind and rain, don’t crowd the street, and are ideally located at a designated space that is a safe distance from poles and electrical hazards.
Safety isn’t over once Eid day arrives, though. We clean up our spaces using water and should ensure that before we clean inside our premises, water doesn’t contact any switchboards or electricity mains, and especially keep a distance from appliances like water motors.
The same applies to using water outside the homes. Last but equally important is to ensure that any waste is disposed of properly to keep our spaces as clean as possible.
Community elders can take an active role in spreading awareness of these tips and take ownership of keeping vigilance on the safety of their respective neighborhoods. Volunteers can be appointed to facilitate surveilling their neighborhoods for hazards and act to prevent an accident.
Prompt intervention to remove dangling internet and TV wires can enhance the safety of the area in question and collaborating with utility companies can also play a bigger role in reinforcing the idea of exercising caution.
We call Karachi home. Let’s come together to build a safer and more responsible environment where the spirit of Eid can be enjoyed without compromising on the well-being and safety of our loved ones.
This article is written by Rayyan Jamil.
