New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) Two people died after allegedly inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a sewage treatment plant (STP) tank at a residential society in Greater Noida, police said on Sunday.
The incident took place at Eldeco Society in Sector 150 under the Knowledge Park police station area.
According to police, the deceased have been identified as sanitation worker Shashikant Sharma and security guard Akash.
Police said the accident occurred during the cleaning of the STP tank when Shashikant Sharma entered the tank and became unconscious. Seeing him collapse, security guard Akash entered the tank in an attempt to rescue him but also lost consciousness.
Following information about the incident, police and fire department personnel rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Both men were pulled out of the tank and immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared both of them dead.
Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the deaths and whether all mandatory safety protocols were followed during the cleaning operation.
In an official update, police said the contractor responsible for the work has been arrested.
Sharing the development, the police stated that Knowledge Park Police have arrested the accused contractor. Further legal proceedings are being ensured.
Investigators are examining whether adequate safety equipment, including protective gear and gas detection devices, had been provided to the workers before they entered the confined space. Police are also looking into compliance with prescribed safety norms for maintenance work involving sewage treatment facilities.
Meanwhile, the latest incident comes after another tragic accident in the same police station area. A six-year-old boy, Avyaan Surya, died after falling into a nearly 15-foot-deep water-filled pit at Kala Dham Society.
Following that incident, the Greater Noida Authority registered an FIR against the contractor and two supervisors, terminated their services, and said the borewell location had allegedly been shifted without its approval. The child’s death had triggered widespread outrage among residents, who accused authorities of negligence and demanded stricter safety measures at construction and infrastructure sites.
The two back-to-back fatalities have once again brought attention to safety lapses at work and construction sites in Greater Noida, with residents calling for stricter enforcement of safety regulations and greater accountability to prevent such tragedies.
–IANS
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