Despite clear instructions, open manhole in market

Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 19

It seems that the Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to learn any lessons from the recent incident of toddler Fatehveer Singh in Sunam, who died after falling in a borewell. A manhole at the YPS Market here lies wide open as commuters pass from nearby in the busiest spot of the city.

The manhole wide enough for a grown up man to easily fall through is in front of shops in the market. A vehicle can also get stuck in it easily. The spot is not more than 2 km away from the Chief Minister’s residence in the city, who himself ordered officials in the state to cover all open borewells and manholes to avoid any mishap.

While the manhole has been lying open, a barricade of the Punjab Police is at times used by officials to cover it temporarily.

A shopkeeper said, “The state government seems interested in covering manholes and open borewells in whole Punjab, but the same has not been implemented in the city. This manhole has been lying open for long, but officials concerned have not taken any steps to cover it.”

When contacted, Municipal Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira said, “I will send officials from the department concerned and get it checked.”