Lucknow, Feb. 5 -- Posing a threat to the lives of sanitation workers, 133 locations across the state capital have high-tension power cables running inside, across or parallel to sewer-lines, obstructing essential maintenance and creating a persistent risk of sewer blockages, Jal Sansthan officials have said. The issue has been brought to the notice of the authorities concerned, the officials said. No headway has been made in remedying the situation as the Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA) cites lack of funds as the reason for not relocating the high-tension cables. The affected areas include Aishbagh Labour Colony, Rajajipuram, Rajiv Gandhi Ward, Mallahi Tola, Kanhaiyya Madhavpur, Balaganj, Ashok Marg, and Rana Pratap Marg, Jal Sansthan officials emphasised. "The unusual and dangerous placement of these cables prevents the deployment of both manual labour and mechanical equipment for sewer cleaning, leading to frequent chokes and a heightened risk to workers' lives," Jal Sansthan officials said. "The presence of these high-tension cables in sewer-lines makes it impossible to carry out cleaning safely. Staff from private companies hired for maintenance cannot risk their lives under these conditions," said a Jal Sansthan official. "There is no point in relocating these lines (only) after a life is lost. Human life is far more important than the cost of shifting cables," said Jal Sansthan general manager Kuldeep Singh. Despite multiple meetings involving the Jal Sansthan, Lucknow Municipal Corporation, and the Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration, progress on a remedy has remained stalled. All departments acknowledge the problem. "Yes, there are cables passing through sewer lines, but how can you shift them without the finances?" a senior LESA official, who did wish to be named, said. Akshat Saxena, spokesperson for Suez India, the agency responsible for sewer cleaning in select areas of the city, said, "High-tension power lines running through manholes pose a major obstacle. Cleaning becomes extremely difficult and dangerous, potentially endangering lives. We have repeatedly requested the authorities to shift these cables to a safer location so maintenance work can be carried out safely and efficiently." Mukesh Singh Chauhan, the Congress corporator from Indiranagar, said immediate action is needed, calling for LESA to prioritise lives over finances, or risk preventable accidents in the city's sewer network....