Pending departmental enquiry, Chief Engineer of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, Kalaburagi, has placed Assistant Executive Engineer, H.A. Prabhukumar and Junior Engineer, Yallappa Adavihalli (in-charge of supervision) under suspension following the collapse of the RCC Over Head Tank (OHT) in Koppal on Thursday.
Two labourers were killed and five others were injured in the incident.
The Chief Engineer, who visited the spot, has said that action was being taken to black list the Megha Construction company, which was awarded the contract.
In addition, a three-member committee, headed by Raghavendra Rao, retired District and Session Judge, Sethuram, retired advisor to Central Government Organisations, New Delhi and Dr. Jayasimha, Head of Civil Aid, have been constituted to ascertain the reasons for the collapse of the OHT and submit a report. Suitable action as per law would be initiated against the guilty, the Chief Engineer said.
It may be mentioned here that the OHT, with 15 lakh litres capacity, which was under construction, collapsed while conducting the hydraulic test (filling up of water). Of the seven workers engaged in painting the tank, two died and five others sustained injuries. The workers were from West Bengal.
Shivaraj Tangadgi, Minister of State for Minor Irrigation and district in-charge, who visited the spot, announced a compensation of Rs. one lakh each to the families of the bereaved and Rs. 25,000 for the injured.