The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday suspended four civic officials, including the assistance commissioner of Mumbai's L Ward, hours after a man died in the Chandivali area after falling into an uncovered manhole amid heavy rainfall in the Maharashtra capital.
The action was taken following instructions of BMC Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, who also directed that a high-level committee will be constituted to probe the matter. The committee, which will submit its report within seven days, will be headed by Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs).
The four suspended officials were identified as L Ward Assistant Commissioner Dhanaji Herlekar, Deputy Engineer (Maintenance) Deepak Chougule, Junior Engineer (Maintenance) Abhijit Chougule, and Assistant Engineer (Sewerage Operations) Uttam Patil.
They will remain suspended till the committee submits its report. In addition to this, the BMC is also mulling registering a case against the contractor.
Compensation announced by deceased's family
The deceased was identified as 60-year-old Aslam Isak Shaikh, a resident of Yadav Nagar. He was taken to the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar East, where he was declared by the doctors.
According to the BMC, Shaikh was talking to someone on his phone when he accidently fell into the manhole, leading to his death. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has announced a Rs 10 lakh compensation for Shaikh's family and said charges of 'culpable homicide' will be filed against the guilty, promising strict action against them.
Expressing grief over Shaikh's death, Tawde said she had instructed officials not to work on manholes during the monsoon season. Criticising the administration and officials, she further stated that manhole-related works should have been completed before the onset of the monsoon.
"Upon collecting the full details, it was found that a red alert was issued and amid heavy rainfall a protective cover was being installed after opening manholes even when the contract was floated two years back. What did the administration do the entire summer? I am collecting all details," Tawde told news agency ANI, while inspecting the site.
This was the third rain-related incident in Mumbai. Earlier, a child was killed after a tree fell on a school bus and a man died after a portion of a balcony collapsed due to heavy rains in India's financial capital.
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