GHMC turned blind eye to Lokayukta order, Officials go unpunished
The body of Hemanth Kumar Sahay, 66, lies beside the manhole into which he fell and died.(Photo: DC/ File)
Hyderabad: In 2011, the Lokayukta, following a petition filed against the GHMC for negligence which lead to the death of a women who fell in an open manhole, had issued notices to the GHMC to install grills in every manhole in the twin cities so that even if one fell, he or she would get stuck in the grill and not get washed away.
Following this, the GHMC had allocated a special budget to modernise the manholes. However, neither were the grills installed nor has the attitude of the corporation changed.
In response to Wednesday’s incident of a women dying after falling in a storm water drain, GHMC Saidabad Corporator and member of the GHMC standing council, Singireddy Srinivas Reddy, filed a petition with the Lokayukta.
“Due to not desilting of nalas and lack of precautionary measures, such incidents are occurring; a criminal case needs to be booked against the concerned officials,” stated the petition.
Around three years ago, a woman had fallen into an open manhole in Secunderabad when she had got off her husband’s motorcycle in heavy downpour. A complaint had been filed regarding this with the State Human Rights Commission. It had been reported that the manhole had been opened by the public so that the storm water could flow away.
Following the petition, notices were issued to the municipal corporation regarding precautionary measure such as lifting traps to be set up inside every manhole or drain and setting of grills. However, nothing was done.
“These cases should be monitored by the HC as only then would they proceed. If not, the family of the deceased should keep the case alive by filing an RTI on the status, and later file another case for no action taken. The family should approach the court with the help of media and follow up the case until judgment is passed,” said O.M. Debra, a social activist.
Errant officials to face criminal case:
Criminal cases booked against civic authorities for negligence leading to deaths due to open manholes, storm water drains, potholes, flyover collapse or even roads caving in are usually closed at the inquiry stage itself.
Till date, no civic officer has been arrested or has faced a jail sentence for negligence, giving them an escape route every time a death occurs due to their mistake. Even the Bholakpur dirty water deaths had been watered down by the police along with the administration; there has been no conviction yet.
At the most, the corporation will announce an ex gratia or promise a government job. And to prove that it means business, suspension orders will be released against the officer or the contractor.
There is a clear case of criminal negligence underlying each of the many tragedies that have recently occurred. Officials always try to blame natural calamities and pass off as “deaths due to negligence”.
HC advocate Pradyamman Kumar Reddy said, “In villages, farmers keep electrical live wires in the fields at nights, which is a life threat to animals and people. Cases have been booked against farmers for negligence and they have been convicted if some one was killed.
The same rule should apply to GHMC, they should be booked under IPC 304 (A) for civic carelessness and for not installing precautionary boards. A writ petition should be filed against the damages and heavy indemnity should be demanded”.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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