Kodungaiyur asphyxiation deaths: Families demand government jobs, receive Rs 60 lakh; GCC suspends 2 officials

CHENNAI: The families of two workers who died after inhaling toxic gas in a rainwater sump of the Greater Chennai Corporation in Kodungaiyur staged a protest at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, refusing to receive the bodies until their demands, including government jobs and compensation, were addressed.

They later called off the protest after officials handed over cheques for Rs 30 lakh to each family.

Tamil Nadu Housing Board chairman V Siva handed over the cheques totalling Rs 60 lakh to the families, and added that the decision on providing government jobs would be taken after consultation with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The families had also demanded action against those who allegedly sent the workers to remove a faulty electric motor without adequate safety equipment.

Following talks with police and Greater Chennai Corporation officials, the protesters called off their agitation, and the post-mortem examinations were conducted.

Tondiarpet Zone 4 officer Rajkumar said cases had been registered against Saravanan, assistant engineer of Chennai Corporation’s Ward 34, and Hari Krishnan, assistant engineer in the corporation’s electrical wing. Both officials have been placed under suspension, he said.

The workers, M Asmath Basha (38) of Periya Asthinapuram in Ranipet district, and Naveen Kumar (34) of West Tambaram, died while attempting to remove a faulty electric motor from a 20-foot-deep rainwater sump on Third Street in Thendral Nagar, Kodungaiyur.

Kodungaiyur police registered a case, and a further inquiry is under way.

Corporation officials assured that prescribed safety equipment would be used for such work in future to prevent similar accidents.