DC orders inquiry to ascertain lapses, fix responsibility
Nishikant Khajuria
UDHAMPUR, July 18: Two labourers were buried alive while six others got injured when a landslide hit an under-construction building on Dhar Road near Wholesale Vegetable Mandi Udhampur, today.
Deputy Commissioner Udhampur has ordered an inquiry to ascertain cause behind the mishap and fixing responsibility for the lapses, if any, while police has also registered a case in this connection.
The DC also ordered stoppage of work at the site of under construction building, which is purportedly owned by a contractor from Ramnagar.
The incident took place around 11.45 at Ward number 21, Kaller Himti, near Vegetable Mandi where a double storey building was being constructed by cutting a hillock.
According to the police report, a group of labourers were busy in construction work at the site when the landslide took place and buried men and machinery there.
On getting information, a police party, led by SHO Udhampur Raghubir Singh along with SDRF and NDRF teams rushed to the spot and immediately launched rescue operation.
While six labourers were rescued soon, two others remained missing and after a lot of efforts, their dead bodies were found under the debris.
Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur Sachin Kumar Vaishya, SSP Udhampur, Dr Vinod Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Joginder Singh Jasrotia, Tehsildar Udhampur Amit Verma and other officer also reached the spot and monitored the rescue operation, which continued for more than five hours.
The injured labourers were shifted to District Hospital Udhampur for the treatment and their condition was stated to be stable.
The deceased were identified as Anirudh Kumar Nayak (42), son of Nand Kishor, resident of Nayak Muhalla (Madhya Pradesh) and Rakesh Kumar (22), resident of Ghordi.
The injured persons have been identified as Devi Din Kushwah (18), son of Ishwar Dayal of MP A/P Near CEO office Udhampur; Shoket Ali (25), son of Mohd Qasim of Dandyal; Druvish Sharma (18), son of Bishan Sharma of Saillan Talab’ Master Mian (45), son of Khilab Mian of Bihar A/P Saillan Talab; Shamiya (30) wife of Balram of Jojara Talab and Thakur Dass (25), son of Payare Lal of MP A/P Saillan Talab.
Taking serious cognizance of the incident, DC Udhampur has constituted an inquiry for ascertaining the facts relating to the incident and lapses, if any.
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The three-member inquiry committee, headed by SDM Ramnagar and comprising Assistant Labour Commissioner, Udhampur and Town Planner Udhampur, shall submit a comprehensive report with specific recommendations and fixing the responsibility, if any, within seven days to the office of District Magistrate Udhampur.
According to ADC Udhampur Joginder Singh Jasrotia, the District administration has also announced immediate release of an ex-gratia of Rs 2.5 lakh to the next of the kin of the each deceased.
Expressing his grief over the deaths in the incident, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has appreciated NDRF, SDRF and other rescue teams for their prompt response. “I am in touch with the local authorities. My condolences with the bereaved families. All possible help and relief will be provided to the victim and their families,” he tweeted.
DC Udhampur along with SSP and other officers also visited District Hospital Udhampur to inquire about the medical facilities being provided to the injured labourers. The DC instructed hospital authorities to provide the best treatment to the injured.
The under construction building, where the mishap took place, is purportedly owned by one Vijay Kumar of Ramnagar, who is a contractor by profession. It was not clear whether he had taken permission for construction of the building or was it being constructed as per the approval.
Some locals alleged that complaints were made to Municipal Committee Udhampur officials against ‘illegal’ cutting of the hillock thus posing danger to the nearby houses, but no action was taken.
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