New Delhi: A preliminary inquiry by Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has found “serious lapses in mandatory safety arrangements” at a sewer line rehabilitation site in Janakpuri, where 25-year-old Kamal Dhyani allegedly fell to his death in an open pit on Friday. The preliminary report recommended fixing accountability and initiating disciplinary proceedings against officials and the contractor for negligence and failure to follow prescribed safety norms.The committee, constituted by the DJB chief executive officer, observed that barricading was “inadequate and improperly maintained” by the agency and the contractor, turning the excavation site into a death trap.According to standard operating procedures, iron barricades are mandatory along the entire perimeter of such sites and must remain in place until the road surface is fully levelled and safe for public use. Green mesh netting, the report said, can be used only in non-excavated areas where separation is required.“The inquiry revealed that the site was left unattended at the time of the incident, reflecting a serious lapse in mandatory safety arrangements. This failure highlights a clear deficiency in the discharge of official duties/responsibilities by the agency, M/s KK Spun India Ltd O Liner JV, and the supervising officers of the engineering project division, EE(P)SR-II, concerned,” the report stated.“Prima facie, such negligence constitutes non-compliance with established safety norms and points to dereliction of duty on the part of: Ramesh Kumar Gupta, senior engineer (Dr)-Proj-IV; Azad Singh Grewal, executive engineer (P) SR-II; Vandana, assistant engineer (civil); Alok Kumar, junior engineer (civil),” it added. These officials have already been suspended.The committee recommended issuing written show-cause notices to all contractors engaged at the site and said strict instructions should be issued after examining their replies to ensure immediate corrective steps. It also mandated full compliance with public safety and labour welfare norms, making chief engineers responsible for monitoring and enforcing adherence to safety standards across projects to ensure accountability and uniform implementation of the norms.Calling the incident a “grave reminder” of the consequences of inadequate safety, the report said uncompromising enforcement of public safety norms must remain the foremost priority. To prevent recurrence, it suggested strict enforcement of barricading and pit-protection norms, daily safety monitoring reports by site engineers, periodic surprise inspections by chief engineers, and maintenance of photographic records at each site.
