23 March,2024 10:34 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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On Saturday morning, Ramlagan Chotelal Kevat, aged 45, succumbed after he fell into a septic tank in a public toilet in Malad on March 21. Kevat's sons--Suraj and Vikas passed away due to asphyxiation on Thursday.
According to the officials, Ramlagan, Suraj (18) and Vikas (20) fell into the septic tank which was approximately 15 feet deep while cleaning the public toilet in Malad's Ambujwadi. The locals managed to remove them from the tank before the fire brigade arrived.
The three deceased were rushed to Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in a private vehicle where Suraj was pronounced dead upon arrival while Vikas succumbed to his injuries the same day.
BMC issues show-cause notice to contractor
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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Friday, a mid-day report stated, issued a 24-hour show cause notice to the trust responsible for managing the facility - the Om Jai Durga Seva Society.
The BMC, per the report, is alleging that the trust instructed the Kevats to clean the septic tank without providing proper safety equipment, potentially constituting manual scavenging, an illegal practice. However, the senior inspector of Malvani police said that the trio were tasked with cleaning a water tank and that they might have asphyxiated while cleaning the water tank; however, investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the relatives clarified that the Kevat family, primarily involved in the food business, managed the toilet as a supplementary source of income, stated the report.
The report quoted a local saying that neither the civic body nor the contractor had cleaned the septic tank in eight years. He said someone needs to be held accountable for the deaths.
Gorai contractor extorts money
Meanwhile, in another incident from Gorai village and Koliwada, residents alleged that they were being charged huge sums of money to get their septic tanks cleaned by a BMC-appointed man. The residents said that it is a free service yet they are forced to pay or the contractor ignores the work. They said civic body had made arrangements for cleaning of septic tanks since parts of Gorai island does not have a sewage system.
