Pathanamthitta: An avoidable, unfortunate tragedy had unfolded at a stretch of Manimala River at Keezvaipur near here a few days ago as a young man who had volunteered to participate in a mock drill held by the National Disaster Response Force on flood rescue drowned. An inquiry report submitted by the district collector to the Chief Minister blamed various departments for the fiasco.
The departments failed to carry out effective coordination and timely rescue operations. Also, the mock drill venue was changed to another place, 4 km away from the original site, and the same was not intimated to even the Tahsildars entrusted with the exercise, the report blamed.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had directed the Chief Secretary to conduct a department-level probe into the incident soon after Pathanamthitta District Collector Divya S Iyer handed over the preliminary probe report.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) too ordered an inquiry into the tragedy. KSHRC member V K Beena Kumari directed the State Disaster Management Authority and the Pathanamthitta district collector to probe the situation that resulted in the death of a youth who volunteered to take part in the mock drill and submit a report within 15 days.
The action was taken on a complaint filed by human rights activist Dr Guinness Madaswami. He pointed out in the complaint that no help arrived or rescue operations carried out for 45 minutes after the 34-year-old youth identified as Binu drowned.
Had the Disaster Management authority personnel acted on time, a precious life could have been saved, he alleged.
The complaint also claimed that the mock drill was done without taking adequate safety measures and the same amounted to gross human rights violations. Madasawmi sought strict action against the officials at fault. The Commission will take further action upon receiving the probe report.
Minister K Rajan also sought a detailed probe report from the authorities concerned. A preliminary report indicated that there was no abnormality in the youth’s death and also there were no lapses, the minister said in Malappuram.
The initial assessment is that the youth collapsed during the mock drill which resulted in his drowning. There was no negligence, he added.
The youth’s friends had alleged the other day that though they informed the authorities of the mishap at the time when Binu drowned, help arrived late, and his body was finally fished out over half an hour later. They charged the officials with trying the cover up their lapses.
Meanwhile, the Keezvaipur police lodged a case of unnatural death over Binu’s death. The autopsy report indicated the presence of mud and water in the victim’s lungs, sources said.
Binu's last rites will be held at 3 pm today (Jan 1).
