It was Jitender’s first day at job and the last too

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 28

It was the first day young Jitender had come to the site for work and sadly, his last day too. The rookie sewer man was made to get into the sewer hole without any safety mask or tools while others stood out. Before the poisonous gas inside the sewer hole claimed his life, it was around 15-minute struggle by a fellow worker, Ramesh, to save his life. But as Ramesh got trapped in the dangerous gas himself, he had to be pulled back with a rope by other co-workers.

Recalling the incident while being treated at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, Ramesh said, “It was Jitender’s first day with us. We, around 16 persons, made teams of four workers each for different works there. Generally, three persons work from outside while one goes down into sewer. In our team, Jitender was the one who went inside. The sewer had excess amount of gas for the past many days since it remained closed. Though we had brought down its frequency, it still engulfed him.”

The manhole had around three-foot water when Jitender was trapped. Seeing him in trouble, the co-workers raised the alarm and a rope was tied around Ramesh’s waist as he was sent down to pull him (Jitender) out. “I got down and held a part of his body but before I could pull him up, the dangerous gas made it difficult for me to breathe and my condition deteriorated. Following this, I was pulled up by other workers,” the middle-aged man added.

Ramesh had tears in his eyes while remembering Jitender saying he was very passionate and keen worker.

Soon after the incident, Ramesh had to be rushed to the GMCH by the police as his health worsened. Doctors at the GMCH said Ramesh was now out of danger but kept under close scrutiny.