DDA forms panel to probe sewer incident in which sanitation worker died

A day after a 24-year-old sanitation worker died and another suffered from suffocation due to toxic fumes while cleaning a deep sewer here, the Delhi Development Authority on Monday said it has constituted an inquiry committee to probe the incident.

Ravi died in the incident that took place near a BSES office at the Central Business District (CBD) ground in Karkardooma, police said.

"The DDA has constituted an inquiry committee headed by the chief engineer (east) to enquire into the incident which occurred near CBD area on Sunday in which one person died and another was injured while cleaning the sewer line," the DDA said in a statement.

It is clarified that neither the cleaning work of sewer line had been assigned to any contractor or agency nor the persons cleaning the sewer line were engaged by the DDA, it said.

"As that sewer line has not yet been handed over to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), therefore, the DDA has decided to extend financial assistance to the families of the deceased and injured.

Another worker Sanjay (35), who suffered from suffocation, was undergoing treatment at a local hospital, police said on Sunday.

Police said a private contractor had engaged five workers, including Ravi and Sanjay, to clean a 15-ft deep sewer. The work to clean it was given by the DDA, they had claimed.

The workers did not have any safety gear, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Amit Sharma said the matter was reported around 1 pm after which a police team rushed to the spot and found that two men were stuck inside the sewer.