Telangana soil mound collapse: Mishap exposes lack of basic facilities for NREGA labourers

Massive canals were dug up and pipelines were laid in the surrounding village under the Koilsagar Lift Irrigation scheme using dynamites due to which the incident might have happened.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

NARAYANPET: Speaking to eyewitnesses, locals and experts, Express found that with the reckless digging activities in the region and carelessness of the contractors in ensuring secure work conditions for their labourers, were reasons behind the mishap.  

According to locals, the sand mound which engulfed those resting underneath, was dug up without official permissions. In a bid to avoid paying the cess to the government, some contractors acquire soil for constructions purposes, illegally. In this case, the mound was left without proper safety measures.
Furthermore, every NREGA work site is liable to providing some basic facilities to the employees, especially in outdoor settings. 

It was in the absence of a tent that the labourers chose a precarious sand cove for rest between the morning and evening shifts. Had there been a proper resting place, the incident could have been entirely avoided. Reportedly, four years back, the Central government has handed out at least 9,000 tents to all NREGA site.
Further more, there was no provision of first aid on site, no ORS sachets during the hot summer season, not even drinking water facilities. 

The NREGA rules also clearly says that the children of the labourers should be provided with a place to rest and play while their parents are working. Especially, shamianas are required to be erected for them to play. However, this rule is never implemented at the ground level.

Prone to accident

According to sources, in 2001, massive canals were dug up and pipelines were laid in the surrounding village under the Koilsagar Lift Irrigation scheme. Reportedly, the project used dynamites to carve out canals and lay out the pipe network, which left the soil layer sensitive and prone to accidents

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