HYDERABAD: Senior civic officials on Sunday inspected a damaged part of the concrete ramp in which a 12-year-old girl, Pogaku Monika, fell and drowned to death in Dan Bazar of Kalasiguda after the hole was patched up with concrete and cordoned off on Saturday night.
Officials of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) found two 4X4 grill gates adjacent to the patch in a dilapidated condition, as they were completely rusted.
A GHMC employee said: “On the instructions of senior officials, we patched up the hole and covered the nala ramp, but the grill gates need to be replaced immediately as rods have completely rusted.”
Sanjay Kumar, a local, said that the grill gates were damaged 13 days ago when the JCB machine moved over it. “Both the grill gates are damaged; they directly connect to the Park Lane nala, in which Monika’s body was found. To avoid a repeat of the incident, authorities should immediately replace the grill gates,” Sanjay said.
Nirmala, Monika’s aunt, said that residents were also unaware that the hole in which the girl fell was connected to the drain network. “One of the residents used to daily park his car, covering the hole. The hole got widened after the JCB machine dug the old road and removed debris,” Nirmala said.
She said that the car owner, however, had parked his car at another spot on April 28 night, due to heavy rains, bemoaning that it had led to the girl falling into the hole.
On Saturday, Begumpet GHMC division assistant engineer Tirumalaiah and work inspector Harikrishna were suspended, on Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi’s instructions.
She also directed the GHMC commissioner to conduct a full inquiry, following which the commissioner directed GHMC’s executive engineer Indira Bhai to submit a report on the incident within 10 days.
Meanwhile, minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the girl’s family, with the funds coming from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Mayor on Saturday had already announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh.
