BERHAMPUR: A week after the death of an 11-year-old boy in an open drain on Laxminrushingha Street, the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) has issued a show cause notice to the assistant engineer on why action should not be taken against him for the delay in execution of covering drains in the city that led to the mishap.
The boy, Sairam Patra, was swept away on August 22, 2024, after falling into an overflowing drain.
The BeMC had been previously instructed by the state Urban Development Department to cover all open drains last year. Despite these directives, the issue was reportedly overlooked, leading to the tragedy.
A committee has been formed to investigate the incident and fix accountability.
Advocate Manoj Patnaik criticised BeMC’s negligence and threatened to stage a dharna if no action is taken. Following Patnaik’s post on X, Ganjam collector Dibyajyoti Parida visited the BeMC office on Wednesday and questioned the commissioner Bhabani Prasad Misra on the progress of the ongoing inquiry. Soon after, the show cause notice was issued to AE Mithilesh Ratha that cited delays in the development work for covering open drains, which were approved on June 28, 2024. The notice criticised the lack of timely action, which could have prevented the incident. Ratha has been given 48 hours to respond, failing which disciplinary action will be taken against him.
“It has come to the notice that the progress of development work relating to covering of all open drains and placing adequate barricade along with signage to prevent any danger to public life or property in Ward No. 02 has been unduly delayed even though administrative approval of work relating to covering of the open drains in Ward No. 02 on job-contract basis has been accorded on 28.06.2024 much before the onset of heavy rains. In this regard you had been instructed in the review meeting dated 27.06.2024 to complete the covering of all open drains and placing adequate barricade along with signages. Your prompt action could have resulted in avoiding the unfortunate event of human casualty in the aftermath of excessive rain on 21.08.2024 and saved the Berhampur Municipal Corporation from embarrassment,” the notice read.
Ironically, after the incident, 293 open drain patches have been identified across the city. Mayor Sanghamitra Dalai has directed that these be covered with concrete slabs and marked with warning signages.
Senior advocate Pitabasa Panda has questioned why concrete covers were removed for cleaning if new directions are now being issued for their installation. Panda has called for an investigation into alleged irregularities in the BeMC’s drain and road construction projects.
In response to the tragedy, BeMC has provided Rs 4 lakh in compensation and an additional Rs 4 lakh from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to the boy’s family.