Still no headway in manhole deaths' probe

HYDERABAD: Reports of two investigations ordered into the manhole mishap at Madhapur, which claimed four lives in August, are yet to see the light of day.
Four persons a cab driver and three daily-wage workers had died due to asphyxiation while cleaning a manhole at Madhapur. The government had directed HMWS&SB to probe the incident. Accordingly, the water board requested the Ranga Reddy district administration to investigate the mishap and launched its own inquiry.
The then Ranga Reddy joint collector, Rajat Kumar Saini, probed the accident.In the recent rejig of districts, Rajat Kumar was transferred and posted as collector of the newly-for med Jogulamba Gadwal district.As a result, the official took up the new assignment without submitting the report on the manhole mishap.
The official was supposed to conduct a public hearing by inviting all stakeholders, but no such exercise was undertaken.
The water board, on behalf of the municipal administration and urban development department, had announced ex gratia and compensation as per rules to the kin of the deceased.
On the other hand, the water board also ordered an inquiry by HMWS&SB director-projects M Yella Swamy to initiate action against officials and the agency (GSK) responsible for the lapse. However, Swamy too failed to submit an investigation report. “Till date, I have not re ceived the findings of the probe in the manhole mishap. I spoke to Rajat Kumar Saini a few days before he was transferred and he told me that the probe was completed, but still had to compile the report. We will pursue the issue. Once we receive the report, we will initiate action against the agency and the erring officials,“ HMWS&SB managing director M Dana Kishore told TOI. About the departmental probe, he said, “The official has not yet submitted his report, but according to an interim report, the agency concerned was at fault. In view of the seriousness of the mishap, we have transferred a general manager, who was supervising and implementing the sewer trunk main,“ the MD added.