Indore: One dies, 2 fall ill while cleaning drainage chamber

INDORE: A contractual worker of Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) died due to suffocation while cleaning a drainage chamber in Banganga area on Monday. Two other persons, including his colleague and a state disaster relief force (SDRF) personnel, also fell unconscious when they went inside the chamber to rescue him.
Locals alleged that the worker Shoukit Islam, 45, a resident of Kolkata, was not wearing any safety gear and died after inhaling the toxic gas.When Islam didn’t respond, another worker Shehenshah Sheikh, 28, went inside the drainage, but he also fell unconscious.
Shoukit and Shehenshah were engaged in cleaning drainage chambers under a private agency entrusted by IMC. They had reached Banganga around 12.00 pm to clean a choked drainage.
SDRF officials, who rushed to the spot after being informed by locals, said that Shoukit went inside the drainage and collapsed. As he didn’t come out after some time, contractor Rajesh Sharma who was present on the spot, asked Shehenshah to go and check.
“He also fell ill. Fortunately, he was tied up with a rope and was pulled back immediately after his co-workers noticed that he was feeling unconscious. The rope was even stuck around his neck, but he somehow survived,” Sharad Chandra Rai, an SDRF commandant told TOI.
Following this, an SDRF personnel Govind Patil was sent inside the chamber to rescue Shoukit. Though he managed to take Shoukit out, he fell ill as he inhaled toxic gas.
Rai, who led the rescue operation, said that it appeared to be a case of negligence as the workers were not wearing any safety mask while entering the chamber.
Locals accused the contractor of forcing Shehenshah to go inside the chamber. “The contractor forced him to go inside and rescue the other worker who had already collapsed,” alleged Rajesh Kumar, a shopkeeper.
However, the contractor refuted all the allegations and said that no one was forced to go inside the chamber. “We had all safety arrangement in place. I don’t know what made them fell unconscious,” said Sharma.
IMC commissioner Asheesh Singh said that an inquiry will be conducted. “Action will be taken against contractor if he is found to be at fault,” he said.