One worker died and three others fell unconscious on Sunday after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning a Public Works Department (PWD) sewer tank at the government-run Lok Nayak (LNJP) Hospital. This is the 10th such death in the Capital in just over a month.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said the contractor who hired victim Rishi Pal (48) and survivors Bishan (25), Kiran (30) and Sumit (22) has been booked under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code for failure to provide adequate safety gear.
The accused is absconding and teams have been formed to nab him, he added.
Toxic gases
The hospital had allegedly asked the contractor to clean two clogged lines of a sewer near gate 2 of the institute.
According to the police, Mr. Pal entered the tank first but fell unconscious within seconds of entering the sewer.
His co-workers called out to him repeatedly, but did not receive an answer. With the tank being 15-feet deep, the others assumed their voices had not reached Mr. Pal, said the police.
Mr. Bishan then decided to enter the tank to look for Mr. Pal, while Mr. Kiran and Mr. Sumit waited outside.
Mr. Sumit kept talking to Mr. Bishan, who stopped responding within seconds of entering the tank. Mr. Kiran entered the tank next and also fell unconscious.
Brave move
Before entering the tank himself, Mr. Sumit first raised an alarm to get a few people to help him out. He was the only one who had a face mask, which was provided by the hospital. Mr. Sumit was able to get the three men out before falling unconscious.
Suraj Singhal, whose mother was admitted in LNJP Hospital, said he saw several people trying to bring the workers out of the sewer between 12.30 p.m. and 1 p.m.
The men were pulled out nearly half-an-hour after they had entered the tank.
They were admitted to the emergency ward of the hospital. Mr. Pal was declared brought dead, while Mr. Bishan, Mr. Kiran and Mr. Sumit were kept under observation. Mr. Sumit was discharged later.
Health and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain visited the survivors, and sought a detailed report on the incident.
‘No sensitivity from govt’
Meanwhile, Swaraj India accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of not showing sensitivity towards workers and the problems faced by them. Delhi unit president Anupam said: “Government departments and contractors force workers to go inside sewer lines filled with poisonous gases without any safety gear”.
