Two conservancy workers who got down inside a manhole in the Under Ground Drainage (UGD) system here on Wednesday, were asphyxiated.
Sources said that P Alexpandian (20) of ARR Colony in Kumbakonam, was working under a sanitary contractor for Thanjavur municipality. He got down inside a manhole of the UGD system at Northgate Four Road Junction here on Wednesday noon, for removing a block in the system.
While getting down, he is said to have slipped and fell down. Seeing this, another worker B Karunanidhi (32) of Chandrasekarapuram near Kumbakonam, tried to rescue Alex Pandian, but he was also fell into the drainage well.
Both are said to have inhaled poisonous gases. Lack of oxygen worsened the situation, and they drowned in the sewage sludge.
On information, fire and rescue personnel from the fire station here tried to rescue the two workers. Both were taken to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Thanjavur west police have registered a case and investigations are on.
It is said that the workers working under a contractor appointed by the Thanjavur municipal administration did not wear any protective gear like oxygen mask, gas mask, breathing apparatus or wadding suit.
The construction of underground drainage work in Thanjavur commenced in 2003, should have been completed in 2007, but the work still remains incomplete.
However, the UGD was already commissioned and a sewage treatment plant is in operation.
Though the Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board (TWAD) did not hand over officially the maintenance of the UGD to the Thanjavur municipality, the later deputes conservancy workers to remove blocks in the system.