ELURU: Tension prevailed at Polavaram project site on Monday following the death of a 22-year-old worker identified as Bimlesh Kumar Ram of Jharkhand. Workers at the project site belonging to Jharkhand and Odisha staged a protest at the contractor’s office and pelted stones at it to vent their anger.
Bimlesh was doing centering work at the 32nd block of the spillway when all of a sudden an iron ladder fell on him, resulting in his instantaneous death. Another person suffered serious injuries in the incident. Protesting lack of safety equipment in place at the site, workers in large numbers staged the protest.
On being alerted, Polavaram Sub-Inspector Surya Ramachandra Rao and project SI K Srihari Rao, along with APSP personnel, rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control by pacifying the workers. The body of the worker was shifted to Polavaram government hospital for postmortem. A case was registered under Section 174 of IPC.
The workers said provision of safety equipment and medical aid is mandatory for workers doing risky job at the project site. However, there is no emergency medical unit at Polavaram project site. The first aid centre is located at the project viewpoint, 3 km away from the spillway, but no doctor is available there.
A couple of workers, refusing to give their names, said there is no proper shade for workers from the scorching sun at the project site. Navayuga company project manager Kranthi asked the workers to give a written request for the facilities they need and they would be provided. Following the assurance, the workers withdrew their protest.