Look at this picture carefully. What do you see? Look carefully again.
My first instinct, when I first saw this picture, was that it was a WAPDA transformer being used as a daig (of deg; ultra large cooking container) over an open fire. Wow, what a picture!
My first thought was “I just hope this transformer acting as a daig is not in WAPDA’s use these days.” I was also reminded of the story about the crow and pebbles whose ‘moral’ was: “Necessity is the Mother of Invention.” (Although Ibn-e-Insha suggested in Urdu ki Akhri Kitab that a straw would have been more useful and less tiring for the crow, especially in the wild heat of Pakistan).
However, upon more investigation, I found that in fact this is not a cooking scene. In fact, it is a bunch of WAPDA employees trying to convert the moisture in Transformer’s oil into vapors by lightening up some coal fire under it.
I wonder if that is a good idea? I just pray and hope that the WAPDA employees know what they are doing.
The above para I wrote when I just saw the picture itself … does look like a cooking scene, no? But the reality is not that. The person who submitted this photograph to BBC had something to say. According to him, employees of WAPDA are trying to convert the moisture in Transformer’s oil into vapors by lightening up some coal fire under it.
Image Courtesy: BBC Photograph Archives
ATPs Similar Post: The Dare Devil Electricians of Pakistan
Transformers contain deadly PCB oils that are environmental hazards and known carcinogen. Also famous for genetic defects…. These simple people need to handle it carefully – not with bare hands, and vapors all around and not to mention the spills…
Such scenes must be like a nightmare for electricians and engineers in USA :-)
Great picture. This they do not teach at any university!
Some comments on this posted at the ATP Facebook page:
– “lollz — SEems like it — using the trransformer for more than one purpose :P”
– “cooking dinner lolz”
– “lol … this is hilareous ..”
– “oh My GOSH!!!!!!!”
– “lol..only in PK”
– “haleem!!!”
– “necessity is the mother of invention …..I am sure they know what they are doing.
Non availability of modern tools makes our technicians use logic and older methods. Our hardworking people can fix anything, which is what Pakistan is all about.”
– “cook some lahori food instead lol”
– “hmmmmm it must be very delicious and electrifying..lol whtever it is….”
– “toxic food. the fins of the transformer are filled with special oil to keep it cool during its operation.. there is no way they have cleaned up to that value…necessity is the mother of invention but over-inventing over-smart kills u”
– “It couldn’t get more crazy!”
– “howly crow…… yo atp seriously tell me u come up with these things ur self na :p”
Bravo! now that’s what you call Great Minds at Work!