Magisterial probe holds contractor, civic body field staff responsible

CHANDIGARH: The magisterial probe into the death of three sewer men has held the contractor and the Municipal Corporation field staff responsible for the death of three sewer men, who died on May 30 after inhaling poisonous gases while cleaning a sewer line in the Industrial Area, Phase II.

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 30

The magisterial probe into the death of three sewer men has held the contractor and the Municipal Corporation field staff responsible for the death of three sewer men, who died on May 30 after inhaling poisonous gases while cleaning a sewer line in the Industrial Area, Phase II.

After the incident, UT Adviser Vijay Kumar Dev had marked a magisterial probe into the incident to SDM Kashish Mittal.

Sources said the report had been submitted to UT Home Secretary Anurag Aggarwal, who would now take a decision on it. Confirming the development, the UT Home Secretary said SDM Kashish Mittal had covered all aspects in his report and had submitted various suggestions, which should be followed in future to avoid such incidents.

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The sources said the report pointed out lapses on the part of the firm, M/s Deol Engineering Works, and the MC field staff, who were responsible for regular inspection of works being carried out by contractors in their respective fields.

The report stated that the safety norms were not followed while carrying out the cleaning work on the sewer line. The report had recommended safety norms to be followed in future, the sources said.

The Municipal Corporation had told the inquiry officer that it had blacklisted the firm, M/s Deol Engineering Works, which had carried out the cleaning work. The civic body had also suspended MC staffer Sukh Raj, posted in the Public Health Department since the firm is owned by his wife.

Contractor was not allotted work of mishap site

The Municipal Corporation had allotted the contract of cleaning 18 manholes at the rate of Rs 2,500 per manhole to M/s Deol Engineering Works. However, the manhole in front of the 3BRD sewage treatment plant in the Industrial Area, Phase II, where the three labourers — Ashraf, Dhan Singh and Prem Pal — died, was not covered under the contract. The contractor had started the work on his own without informing MC Executive Engineer Suresh Saini. The work was allotted to the contractor for two months on November 24 last year. However, he continued to work even though his contract had expired.