Families of the two victims who died after entering manhole in Padmavathi Colony of Vanasthalipuram for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s de-silting works have been given a compensation of ₹15 lakh each.
Of the ex gratia, ₹10 lakh for each worker is from GHMC, while the contractor who had carried out the operation has parted with ₹5 lakh each.
Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi visited the site of ongoing efforts for the rescue of the missing worker whose body was yet to be fished out, on Saturday, and handed over the cheques to the bereaved families.
In a further development, through express orders on Saturday, Executive Engineer of the Hayatnagar Circle Rajaiah was transferred to the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation, and Deputy Executive Engineer Bhadru Nayak was sent on deputation to Jagtial Municipal Corporation.
Prior to this, late on Friday, orders were issued for suspension of the Assistant Engineer and work inspector concerned, besides termination of another work inspector who had been employed on outsourcing basis, holding them responsible for the tragic incident.
Detailed enquiry revealed that the three had been aware of the fact that the works were being taken up during night time, the orders issued to the GHMC Commissioner from the Municipal Administration & Urban Development said.
The two deceased workers were reported to have been asked to enter the manhole during night without any safety gear, which went against all the guidelines pertaining to de-silting works. Ms.Vijayalakshmi assured that she would recommend double bedroom units to be given for the families of the deceased workers.
MLA D. Sudheer Reddy, who had been monitoring the effort to retrieve the body of the worker Anthaiah, said the body could not be found despite removal of 90 pipes from the 9.5-km drain, and inspection of 250 manholes on the way.
The lake near Pasumamula village 15 kilometres away too was searched with the help of drones and three boats.
