Did NMC officials ignore complaints? Civic chief orders probe | Nagpur News

Nagpur: A civic contractor allegedly damaging an underground power cable during Amrut 2.0 sewerage works and alleged official apathy despite repeated complaints from residents about electric shocks in the area may have led to the tragic death of the 60-year-old woman on Wednesday night.After TOI brought the circumstances surrounding the death to the notice of municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar, he on Thursday ordered a high-level inquiry as preliminary inputs suggested the death could have been caused due to negligence during the NMC’s sewerage project.When Itankar contacted the NMC’s electrical department, executive engineer Rajendra Rathore informed him that a contractor executing Amrut 2.0 works under the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department had allegedly damaged the underground cable feeding a high-mast streetlight near Bisa Baba Dargah in Gausia Colony.As per Rathore, the contractor allegedly abandoned the site without repairing the damaged cable or informing either the PHE or electrical department. When heavy rain lashed the city on Wednesday night, the exposed live cable allegedly electrified stagnant water on the road. The woman unknowingly stepped into the water and was electrocuted.Residents said the tragedy was foretold. They claimed several people experienced electric shocks in the locality over the previous two days and repeatedly alerted the NMC’s zonal office. Despite the warnings, they alleged, no civic team visited the spot to inspect, isolate or repair the damaged cable.“It was not a natural accident. The danger was known, complaints were made, but nothing happened until someone lost her life,” said a resident.The sequence of events has raised questions over supervision of civic contractors, coordination between the PHE and electrical departments, and the NMC’s failure to respond to public complaints about a potential hazard.Itankar also took information about the accident from PHE superintendent engineer Shweta Banerjee. “If the investigation establishes negligence on the part of the contractor or NMC officials, stringent action will be taken, including registration of an FIR if warranted,” Itankar told TOI.NMC chief engineer Leena Upadhye, however, said the exact cause of the electrocution would be established only after a technical investigation by the state Public Works Department’s electrical wing, following which MSEDCL (Mahavitaran) would carry out the required rectification.