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Magisterial inquiries ordered into THDC tunnel accident in Chamoli: Official
The inquiry will examine the safety arrangements at the site and the safety standards being followed during tunnel construction and operations
Chamoli district administration on Wednesday ordered for magisterial inquiries into the August 13 tunnel accident at a THDC under-construction project in the Hat area near Pipalkoti and an incident involving a flash flood in Tamak Nala near Tapovan.
The inquiries have been ordered to ascertain the circumstances leading to the two incidents, examine possible lapses and recommend measures to prevent similar accidents in the future. The investigating officers have been directed to submit their reports within 15 days.
In the first case, district magistrate Gaurav Kumar ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident that occurred on August 13 at an under-construction THDC tunnel in the Hat area of Pipalkoti.
The incident occurred on August 13 around 7pm at the under-construction THDC tunnel at Mayapur (Pipalkoti), where workers were trapped when water and debris entered the tunnel after a suspected aquifer burst. As many as 22 workers were inside the tunnel at that time.
The district magistrate appointed the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Chamoli as the investigating officer. The officer has been directed to conduct a detailed investigation into the causes of the accident, the circumstances that led to it and any possible negligence or lapses.
The inquiry will examine the safety arrangements at the site and the safety standards being followed during tunnel construction and operations. It will also assess the circumstances surrounding the sudden inflow of water and debris and determine whether adequate preventive and safety measures were in place.
The investigating officer has also been asked to include recommendations in the report for strengthening safety arrangements and preventing the recurrence of similar incidents at tunnel construction sites.
The district administration has directed all concerned officials and departments to extend necessary cooperation to the investigating officer and provide relevant records and documents required for the inquiry.
The district magistrate also ordered a magisterial inquiry into an incident at Tamak Nala near Tapovan in the Jyotirmath tehsil area, where heavy rainfall triggered a sudden surge of water and debris, affecting traffic.
According to a report submitted by the Tehsildar of Jyotirmath, heavy rainfall led to a sudden influx of water and debris into Tamak Nala. The force of the flow affected the road and bridge infrastructure and caused disruption on the route.
During an on-site inspection, it was found that three vehicles on National Highway-107 were affected by the water and debris flowing from the nala. Two of the vehicles belonged to a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) unit. A pickup vehicle was also swept away by the strong current of a drain.
The inquiry will examine the sequence of events, the causes of the incident, the circumstances in which the vehicles were affected and the details concerning the missing person reported in connection with the incident.
The district magistrate has appointed the sub-divisional magistrate of Jyotirmath as the investigating officer for the second inquiry. The officer has been instructed to conduct a fair and detailed investigation and submit the report within 15 days.
