Sewage plant contractor to face 'death due to negligence' charge
TNN | Jan 18, 2019, 05:53 IST
Representative imageMUMBAI: Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation commissioner Balaji Khatgaonkar said on Thursday that the sewage treatment plant, where three labourers choked to death on Wednesday, would be inspected by civic officials and the contractor would be booked for causing death due to negligence. Police had on Wednesday registered an accidental death case. India had banned the employment of people as manual scavengers in 1993.
He said families of the victims, Muzaffar Moulik (24), Rafique Mandal (50) and Moufijum (18), would be compensated by the contractor, who had taken up the maintenance job for five years. Families of the victims, believed to be from West Bengal, are being contacted to claim the bodies, Kashimira police said.
Police are awaiting a report from MBMC before booking the contractor. The autopsy report is also awaited, police said. The three had inhaled gas and collapsed in a chamber at Shrusti Complex in Mira Road at 2pm. The autopsy will ascertain the amount of gas they inhaled.
Residents of the complex have demanded the plant's closure. Alleging that foul smell emanated from the plant since it was set up six months ago, the residents met civic officials on Thursday. They said they had been complaining for nearly four months about the foul smell. They alleged that proper measures were not taken to handle toxic gas at the plant.
Residents told TOI they had complained about toxic gas in the air. "The fact that the workers choked to death shows the gas we are inhaling is poisonous," said a resident.
He said families of the victims, Muzaffar Moulik (24), Rafique Mandal (50) and Moufijum (18), would be compensated by the contractor, who had taken up the maintenance job for five years. Families of the victims, believed to be from West Bengal, are being contacted to claim the bodies, Kashimira police said.
Police are awaiting a report from MBMC before booking the contractor. The autopsy report is also awaited, police said. The three had inhaled gas and collapsed in a chamber at Shrusti Complex in Mira Road at 2pm. The autopsy will ascertain the amount of gas they inhaled.
Residents of the complex have demanded the plant's closure. Alleging that foul smell emanated from the plant since it was set up six months ago, the residents met civic officials on Thursday. They said they had been complaining for nearly four months about the foul smell. They alleged that proper measures were not taken to handle toxic gas at the plant.
Residents told TOI they had complained about toxic gas in the air. "The fact that the workers choked to death shows the gas we are inhaling is poisonous," said a resident.
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