PANAJI
Activist advocate Aires Rodrigues on Tuesday filed a complaint before the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) over the death of Saharula SK (21). Saharula, a welder working at the construction site of the third Mandovi Bridge in Panaji, was burnt to death in a mishap on Monday afternoon.
Adv Rodrigues in his complaint has pointed out that the deceased worker, a native of West Bengal, was employed on contract basis for a construction firm Larsen and Toubro (L&T) which has been given the works of the bridge by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC).
The complaint seeks to highlight that a safe workplace is a human and fundamental right of every worker and hence, has prayed that the authorities should probe whether all the required safety standards were in place at the site as the deceased worker reportedly fell into a deep trench containing hot tar, while he was trying to do some welding work.
However, according to the Panaji Police, Saharula sustained 90 per cent burns when the sparks from the welding machine spiraled into a fire.
Adv Rodrigues’ complaint voices the worry that the authorities might take advantage that the deceased is a poor and defenseless victim and make attempts to hush up the matter.
He has requested GHRC to seek replies from the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, the Managing Director of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation and Larsen and Toubro (L&T) in connection with this unfortunate incident.
Meanwhile, Panaji Police has booked the site supervisor Alep SK, resident of Old Goa, the contractor B Angenelo, resident of Andhra Pradesh and the management of L&T for causing death by negligence. Supervisor Alep SK has been arrested.
