Sixth body recovered; probe panel to submit report within 48 hours

The sixth body was spotted upstream of the Manuni rivulet on Friday even as continuous heavy rainfall hampered efforts by the joint rescue team of the National and State Disaster Response Forces (NDRF and SDRF) to retrieve it. The victim was identified as Nitin, son of Sanjay, and a resident of Pankura in Fatehpur, Kangra.

The deceased was among the workers engaged at the Manuni-2 Hydroelectric Power Project — a sister concern of the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric Power Project when flashfloods struck suddenly on Wednesday evening.

A magisterial inquiry has already been initiated into the devastating flashflood incident near Dharamsala’s Manuni rivulet that claimed the lives of several labourers working at an under-construction hydroelectric power project. SDM Mohit Rattan has begun the probe as six bodies have been recovered so far.

At least 170 labourers, who had been trapped upstream near the project site, were rescued on the same day. One labourer was later found alive in a forest area, while some others remain unaccounted for.

District Magistrate Hemraj Bairwa stated that several departments like Forest, Police, Electricity Board, Jal Shakti Vibhag, Mining, Labour, Him Urja, and the District Disaster Management Authority, will assist the SDM in the investigation. The DM has asked the SDM-led panel to submit the inquiry report within 48 hours to his office so that further action could be initiated.

The SDM, along with officials from the other departments, will visit the project site on Saturday to conduct an on-the-spot assessment. The inquiry will focus on identifying the probable cause of the disaster, the extent of damage to life and property and the vulnerabilities that may have contributed to the tragedy.

Meanwhile, all construction work at the hydro project site has been suspended by the management. The labourers have been relieved and asked to go back to their native places.

However, 20 workers have been retained temporarily to help clear landslide debris on the ‘kutcha’ road, allowing the inquiry panel to access the site.