Open storm water drain kills 35-year-old man in Ashok Nagar

CHENNAI: The delay in completing a storm water drain work and the official apathy claimed the life of a 35-year-old man after he fell into a partially covered storm water drain in Ashok Nagar that the Highways Department dug up for desilting ahead of the monsoon.

Police sources said G Iyyappan of KK Nagar was drunk and playing with a stray dog. Though children there warned him of the open pit, he slipped and fell into it around 2 pm on Sunday. "As he did not get up for a long time, the residents went in to bring him out of the drain. Realising that he was already dead, they immediately informed the police,” said a traffic police officer.

The Highways Department dug up the drain for desilting and maintenance about 1.5 months ago. Now it is filled with rainwater and sewage. "When the work started, they assured that the work would be completed within a few days. However, it has been more than 1.5 months but the department has not started any work. The contract workers placed barricades but the green cloth was torn to bits. The man fell into the drain in a small gap between the barricades," said K Balan, a resident of Ashok Nagar.

After the incident, the police covered the open drain properly with green cloth to prevent another mishap.

T Nagappan, another resident of the locality, remarked, "Three days ago, Chief Minister M K Stalin went through this road, which is one of the busiest junctions. He would have noticed the huge pit dug up but still the department did not commence the work." He also claimed that no official was seen at the site even seven to eight hours after the mishap.

Meanwhile, senior Highways official said the work was completed on the other side of the road. "As BSNL has not removed live cables, it has been delayed. Only 10 feet stretch is pending and expected to be completed before the monsoon," the official added.