Govt suspends two PWD engineers, orders probe
Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, May 1: Two labourers were killed and one was rescued alive after an old bridge under repair collapsed at Thathar area here today on May Day. Another labourer reported missing from the construction site remained untraced till the press time.
A Fire & Emergency Department official also sustained injuries during the rescue operation, who has been hospitalized.
Officials said the incident took place near Thathar Petrol Pump when the old bridge, whose retaining walls had developed cracks during the August-September flash floods last year, suddenly gave way.
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They said four labourers engaged in its repair work were buried under the wreckage.
Soon after the incident, they said the rescue teams of the 13th Battalion of NDRF, SDRF and local police rushed to the spot and launched an intensive operation.
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After several hours, one labourer, identified as Tarsem Lal, son of Dafu Ram of Jhiri, was pulled out alive from the debris, officials said, adding that he has been admitted to the Government Medical College Jammu, where his condition was stated to be out of danger.
However, two other labourers trapped under the collapsed structure died, they said, adding that their bodies were retrieved from the rubble after hectic efforts by the rescue teams.
According to them, efforts were underway to trace another labourer reported missing from the construction site.
The family members of the missing labourers identified them as Panchu Sethi, son of Jagan Nath Sethi of Ganjam, Odisha; Rajkumar of Chhattisgarh, presently residing at Patoli Brahmana; and Manish Chander of Chhattisgarh, presently residing at Patoli, Bari Brahmana.
According to police, the identity of the deceased individuals would be ascertained only after the post-mortem is conducted at the Government Medical College Jammu tomorrow.
Officials further said that Divisional Fire Officer, Fire and Emergency Department, Headquarters Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, Mohammad Jaffar, also sustained injuries during the rescue work and has been admitted to the GMC Jammu for treatment. He is also out of danger.
Earlier, as news of the tragedy spread, family members of the deceased and missing labourers reached the site and accused R&B Department engineers of negligence.
They alleged that movement of vehicles on the bridge had not been stopped despite repair work on the retaining walls ongoing. The families demanded strict punishment for those found responsible.
Taking cognisance of the incident, the Jammu and Kashmir Government placed two engineers-Sahil Verma, Incharge Assistant Executive Engineer, and Engineer Sajad Mir, Junior Engineer, Public Works (R&B) Sub-Division Bhalwal-under suspension pending inquiry under Rule 331 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956 into their conduct.
During suspension, both officers shall remain attached with the office of Chief Engineer, Public Works (R&B) Zone Jammu, and will be entitled to suspension allowance as per rules.
The Government also constituted a three-member inquiry committee headed by Engineer Purshotam Kumar, Secretary Technical (Engineer-in-Chief), Public Works (R&B) Department. Arit Gupta, Superintendent Engineer, Public Works (R&B) Circle Jammu South, and Rajan Mengi, Executive Engineer, Public Works (R&B) Division Satwari, are members of the panel.
The committee has been asked to probe all aspects of the incident during execution of work at Thathar, Bantalab, including any dereliction of duty by departmental officers, fix responsibility especially on the executing agency, recommend action against those responsible and suggest measures to prevent such incidents in future.
It has been directed to submit its report within 15 days.
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