5 workers die while working on sewer line in Ghaziabad

GHAZIABAD: Five construction workers were killed after one of them reportedly slipped inside a manhole and the others went inside to retrieve their colleague in Ghaziabad on Thursday afternoon, police and district officials said.

Ghaziabad district magistrate Dr Ajay Shankar Pandey has ordered a magisterial inquiry and said that the incident happened when a sewer network was being constructed near Nandgram locality by Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam.

The incident took place around 1.25pm near Krishna Kunj locality near Nandgram where a sewer line laying process was on for past year and the workers were involved in connecting the sewer line to a 15-foot-deep manhole.

Local police officials said that one of the workers, who was sitting on the ground at the time, reportedly fell inside, possibly after inhaling toxic gases.

“After one fell inside, the other worker went in to bring him back. The second one who went inside also did not come out. After this the third, fourth and fifth man also stepped inside one-by-one. After none of them came out, locals raised an alert and police was informed. The five men were retrieved but were declared dead at a hospital,” said Shlok Kumar superintendent of police (city).

The five workers were identified by the police as Horil (35), Sandeep Kumar (30), Damodar (40), contractor Vijay Kumar and his brother in law Shiv Kumar. All of them hailed from Samasti

pur in Bihar, the police said.

“We are trying to contact their family members. The chief minister has taken a cognisance of the incident and has directed for all possible help t the victim families and has also directed for stern action against the erring officials. UP Jal Nigam will pay ₹10 lakh each to the family of the deceased. I have directed for a magisterial inquiry will be taken up by additional district magistrate and a report is to be submitted within two weeks,” said Dr Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate.

“It is possible that there were toxic gases inside the manhole even if the manhole was not connected to the sewer network… We have asked for a technical report from the fire department. It is possible that the deaths resulted due to presence of gases inside,” he added.

The district magistrate also directed the municipal-corporation to lodge an FIR against the contractor hired by the UP Jal Nigam. GS Srivastava, the chief engineer of UP Jal Nigam, did not respond to calls as his mobile was switched off. Jitendra Yadav, a co worker and a machine operator who was working near the incident site told that the workers were provided with safety kit and masks, etc. “But the five were working without any equipment and had left the items at a godown,” Yadav, added.

The five bodies were taken to Hindon mortuary where the deceased were identified by a co worker, Lal Tun. The cops said that the post mortem of all the five deceased was ordered.

DISTRICT MAGISTRATE ASKED MUNICIPAL-CORP TO FILE FIR AGAINST CONTRACTOR