CHENNAI: Following the death of a 32-year-old manual scavenger at a manhole in Mogappair, Chennai Metro Water called off the non-emergency sewage related works for a week. The labourer, who entered the manhole to rescue a fellow worker, who had fallen into the manhole accidentally when the latter opened it to verify the flow level, said a press release from Metro Water Board.
Metro water has conducted a meeting of all contractors engaged in sewer-related works in the Board's Head office, stressing on the need for safety and the penal provisions available in the agreement. The Assistant Engineer in charge of the location has been placed under suspension and the Area Engineer has been transferred. The contractor was instructed to immediately pay the applicable compensation to the deceased labourer's family failing which the Chennai Metro Water Board will pay and recover from the contractor.
A safety-training programme will be conducted for all contract employees engaged in sewage contract works at Metro Water Training Centre, added the press release.
