COMPENSATION FOR INDIAN WORKERS, SIX BODIES TO BE REPATRIATED SOON
Work suspended at Seeb construction site until probe into the worksite accident is completed
Volume 44 No. 177 | 24
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MUSCAT: The families of the six Indians who tragically died at a construction site in Seeb will be compensated, according to the embassy and company officials.
The workers, aged between 22 and 43, hailed from the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu.
Identified
An official at the Indian embassy in Muscat said: “We have already informed their family members and we are trying to repatriate their bodies soon. We have identified the bodies and the police have taken the biometrics of the deceased so that they can begin their procedures.”
An official of the company that hired the workers said: “We are all waiting for Royal Oman Police investigations into the accident which claimed six lives to finish. We are also going to compensate the families of the victims.”
He also confirmed that work at the construction site in Seeb had been suspended until an investigation into the deaths was completed. The investigation has been opened by the Ministry of
Manpower, in collaboration with the Royal Oman Police and Public Prosecution to discover the reasons behind the deaths of workers.
Investigations
An official at the Ministry of Manpower said, “The ministry is working hard in collaboration with ROP and the Public Prosecution to complete the investigations as per the Ministerial Decree number 2008/289, regarding the regulation of occupational safety and health measures.”
On Sunday evening, the six were working on a tunnelling project in Seeb, and were caught in the heavy rains that affected parts of northern Oman. The section of pipe they were working on was nearly 300 metres long, and situated 14 metres underground.
Heavy rains caused mud and water to flood into the pipe and buried them alive.
Hilal Al Sarmi, the Majlis Al Shura member for Wilayat of Seeb, said, “This was a water pipe connection project linking Ghubra to Seeb. The job was assigned to another company, which then assigned this to another organisation to carry out the work.”
Speaking to Times of Oman, an official from the Indian embassy added, “We have been on our toes in this regard since Monday. Our attache has visited the Qurum hospital along with a social worker.”
Full facts
The embassy also said: “The official is in close contact with the Omani authorities to ascertain the full facts of the incident. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and stand ready to extend all possible support.”