Indian Express 21.05.2010
Sent deep into drain without breathing gear, 2 die
Express News Service Tags : civic workers death in drain, mumbai Posted: Fri May 21 2010, 23:17 hrs
Mumbai:
The manhole at Kalachowkie Prashant Nadkar
Two labourers died on Thursday after entering a century-old, 20-foot-deep drain without breathing apparatus.
They had been working on strengthening the drain on GD Ambedkar Road at Kalachowkie. Site supervisor Ashok Chaudhary was arrested and booked for culpable homicide.
Uma Krushnan Kalia Perumal, 25, and Pandian Chatla Perumal, 22, lived on Reay Road and worked for Rs 125 a day. They had been hired by a BMC-appointed contractor, RPS Mehta Pvt Ltd.
The drain is meant for storm water but had sewage flowing inside, probably due to ruptures, civic officials said. Deputy chief engineer (storm water drains) P J Shah said, “We had ordered the contractors to stop work by May 15 on account of the monsoon and they sent us a letter saying work had been stopped on May 15. Why labourers were on the site on Thursday and what they were doing is not in the BMC’s knowledge.”
“Work had stopped on May 15,” said Piyush Mehta, co-owner of the contracted firm. “On Thursday, the workers were only asked to go inside to check the flow. There was no supervisor on the site.” He said it was bad luck they had no breathing apparatus after work had ended. “When work is on, we install exhaust fans at both ends and provide workers breathing apparatus.”
“The contractors are lying,” said Krishnamurthy Natrajan, brother-in-law of Uma Krushnan. “The workers never had breathing apparatus or gumboots when they entered.”
Uma Krushnan is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter; Pandian Chatla by a pregnant wife. “She is inconsolable. They got married less than a year ago,” said Pandian Chatla’s uncle Rajendra, adding the family had lost its sole earning member.
This was not the first such incident. In 2008, two contract labourers died inside a manhole at Kamraj Nagar in Ghatkopar.
According to RTI data, 4,809 labourers are working with the sewerage department for maintenance of sewer lines and clearing the network if choked. The BMC says they are provided oxygen masks, safety shoes, respirators, hand gloves and helmets, but 31 labourers have died at work between 2003 and 2008.
