Market Safety in Focus
Repeated blazes in Kuajok’s central bazaar have jolted local authorities into a thorough rethink of electrical safety. Faulty wiring, loosely hung cables and makeshift poles previously turned narrow alleys into tinderboxes, damaging stalls and rattling confidence among traders.
Electrical Overhauls Planned
Disaster-management director Mayom Dut Malek met the town mayor and generator owners to map a safer grid. He insisted on sturdier poles, certified wiring and compulsory changeover switches, noting that “electricity can be dangerous if supply is high or cables are weak.”
Mayor John Maluil Ajing pledged door-to-door inspections of every shop, promising that aging wooden poles and low-slung wires would be replaced or repaired in the coming weeks.
Traders Voice Concerns
Generator suppliers Donbosco Chamba and Gabriel Ariik Mawien welcomed the crackdown yet asked officials to monitor day-to-day handling of power. Ariik warned that overloaded carts sometimes brush exposed lines, while impatient vendors attempt DIY repairs that end in blackouts.
Several shopkeepers admitted prioritising food stocks over professional electricians, a choice that leaves the market humming with improvised extensions and sudden power cuts.
Next Steps for Fire Prevention
Officials and traders agreed to form a joint task team to audit wiring, collect modest maintenance fees and call in technicians for complex faults. Regular night patrols will also discourage unauthorised tapping, a common trigger of sparks after trading hours.
For residents, the campaign signals a bid to safeguard livelihoods without sacrificing the affordable, generator-driven electricity that keeps Kuajok’s commerce alive after sunset.