The government has decided to launch a high-level inquiry into the collapse of a tank wall on Monday in which five engineers were killed. PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday, stating that the kin of the deceased engineers would receive a compensation of `10 lakh. The police has registered a case of death due to negligence, against unknown persons.
On Monday afternoon, five irrigation engineers were killed when a large chunk of the tank wall fell on them during a Minor Irrigation Tank (MIT) wall inspection at Chinchwe village, Nashik.
“The irrigation department will also address any problems faced by the kin of the deceased engineers,” Mr Bhujbal stated.
Incidentally, one of the deceased, junior engineer Sharad Sonawane, had recently been suspended under suspicions for committing forgery.
Mr Bhujbal said that it was possible that he had been suspended in July, and attended the inspection in order to vindicate himself. Mr Bhujbal also acknowledged that it was their lunch hour when the wall caved in, and there were no labourers near the breach. “Had there been workmen around the site, precious lives could have been saved,” he said.
When asked if charges of manslaughter would be pressed against the culprit, Mr Bhujbal said that the police would decide which sections would apply.
Mr Bhujbal, who is also the guardian minister, said that the work on the project started in 2001, and the tender had been awarded to Swati Constru-ctions, which is based in the Jalgaon district.
Over `2.64 lakh was spent on the project, but it remained incomplete. In 2005, an issue cropped up with the project, and the company was notified. Notices were also sent in 2011 and 2012. Local MLAs raised the issue in the Assembly and some engineers were suspended following this, for counterfeit work. On July 20 this year, Swati Constructions sent a letter to the irrigation department, expressing its willingness to complete repairs. On July 26, the executive engineer directed the company to work on the rocky areas and not the soil wall. They did not have permission to work on the area that had collapsed. The deceased have been identified as Pradeep Suryawanshi, Vilas Hiraman Aher, Avinash K. Shewale, Sharad Gulabrao Sonawane, and Hiraman Patil. They were cremated on Monday.