EDITORIAL
Govt agencies must own up to failures at construction sites, not blame contractors alone
Three days ago, a pedestrian died after uncapped iron rods pierced his abdomen when he fell into an under-construction drain in Calangute. The 32-year-old native of Manipur was walking along the busy stretch in Naikawada late at night when he reportedly lost his balance and fell into the open drain.
The incident has raised questions about safety arrangements at construction sites and accountability. At this particular site, the work was being undertaken by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation. Questions have been raised about whether any safety measures had been taken to prevent fatalities during the work. Were there any retro-reflective signs, barricades or warning signs with adequate lighting to prevent accidental falls? Exposed steel rods are commonly used in drain works, and knowing this the authorities should have been more particular about ensuring safety precautions at the site. Following the youth’s death, citing negligence, the Calangute police promptly registered an FIR against the proprietor of the construction firm. There is no doubt that the contractor is responsible for worksite safety. However, in such instances, shouldn’t the government agency concerned also be booked? When contracts are awarded by government departments or agencies, should they completely shirk their responsibility over worksite safety measures and only be ready to take credit and hog the limelight when the projects are commissioned?
More than two years ago, a college student died after his motorcycle fell into a trench dug up for sewerage work under the Smart City project in Panaji. Similarly, there have been casualties when work was under way for highway expansion and other government projects. The authorities like to blame motorists involved in accidents for ‘overspeeding’, but how many such sites had safety precautions in place? Courts have had to intervene in some cases. Authorities act only when they are pulled up. Shouldn’t there be supervision or monitoring by the department concerned to ensure that the contractor puts up warning signs or takes other precautionary measures? One worker had died during the construction of Atal Setu.
When projects are undertaken, the authorities seem to shirk their responsibility for citizen safety, let alone worker safety. They will say it is the contractor’s responsibility. Have we not learnt any lessons from the college student’s death at the Smart City worksite? When the Porvorim flyover was under construction, particularly during the first six months, dust pollution caused health problems for residents and as those working in the surrounding area. It was only after the court issued directions to the authorities in response to public interest litigations that some measures were taken to reduce dust pollution. Indirectly related to this is the eagerness of politicians to take credit when projects are ready for inauguration. Goa saw this recently in the case of the Porvorim elevated highway corridor. But when the crash occurred within 24 hours of the bridge’s commissioning, the blame game started.
Let the Calangute case serve as a reminder for the government to establish responsibility and accountability. A special cell should be set up, or a senior officer should be nominated within departments or agencies such as GSIDC to monitor whether contractors are taking safety measures. When accidents occur, officers should also be held accountable, not just the contractor. It should be mandatory to install hazard blinkers, LED warning lamps and high-visibility retro-reflective strips along the worksite perimeter. Contracts should include a cancellation clause for failure to adopt safety measures. Independent safety audits could also be introduced. At construction sites, the safety of citizens and workers cannot be ignored.
