Looking for children
– Photo : Amar Ujala
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In Agra, Uttar Pradesh, open government ditches and drains are swallowing innocent people at every step. There are no safety arrangements even on the banks of rivers, ponds and lakes. In the last three years, 125 people have died due to drowning. Still, the death pits on the highways, service roads and main roads of the city have not been closed.
Even after declaring such accidents as state disasters, the situation did not improve. The government and administration washed their hands off the matter by giving compensation of Rs. 4 lakhs each, but no action was taken against the responsible department and officers for this negligence. In the name of investigation, only formality has been done.
On Saturday, 9-year-old Nasir died after falling into a drain in Ladhamda of Bichpuri. On 8 June 2022, six-year-old Zeeshan, a resident of Billochpuri, died after drowning in the government pit of Jal Nigam at Tota Ke Tal. On 12 July 2022, three-year-old Manvi, who was playing in front of the house in Nagla Buddha, died after drowning in a drain.
Apart from this, an open drain has swallowed an innocent child playing in front of his house in Rajiv Nagar of Loha Mandi. These are just a few examples. Not only drains, sometimes sewers, sometimes water lines, sometimes government dug pits to lay electricity cables have been the cause of death of children, young and old.
Murder case should be filed against the officers
Social activist Chaudhary Prem Singh said that two children have died after falling into a drain in Dhanauli. From the city to the villages, news of deaths due to falling into potholes is often received. Accidents will not stop until murder cases are registered against the officers for this negligence.
Four innocent children were swallowed by an open pit in Khandauli
Four innocent children died on Sunday after drowning in an open pit dug for rainwater drainage on the Yamuna Expressway. There was no barricading around it.
Action will be taken on negligence
The pit was lying open in Khandauli. This is negligence. Action will be taken. The families of those affected will be given Rs 4 lakh each as compensation for the natural calamity. The open pits and drains in the city will be inspected. – Pratibha Singh, District Magistrate in Charge
