Kasaragod: Minister for Forest and Wildlife A K Saseendran, who is in charge of Kasaragod district, directed Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) - building NH 66 from Chengala (in Kasaragod) to Taliparamba (in Kannur) - to submit a comprehensive report on the steps taken to ensure safety in the construction area and prevent flooding and landslides.
The minister directed the Hyderabad-based company to submit the report to District Collector Inbasekar K by 10 am on Tuesday.

The decision was taken at a review meeting called at the collectorate on Monday, against the backdrop of the death of a construction worker at Matallayi near Cheruvathur, and the cracks and cave-ins reported on the 77-km stretch being developed by MEIL.

Saseendran said that he expected the report from the Collector by 11 am on Tuesday. He said he would forward the report to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. If the steps taken are not satisfactory, the state government will recommend that the company be blacklisted, Saseendran said.

He directed urgent safety measures in areas prone to landslides and accidents along the national highway, including Bevinja, Veeramalakkunnu, and Mattalayi Kunnu. He said precautions should also be taken to prevent flooding that disrupts traffic and water entering homes, referring to the incident at Taliparamba. Necessary drainage systems must be ensured.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Manager of NHAI and the Liaison officer and engineer of MEIL. Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnithan and Trikaripur MLA M Rajagopalan, who is also the CPM's district secretary, were also present at the meeting.

'Flooding at ULCC's stretch too'

Unnithan blamed MEIL for the widespread flooding and landslides reported on the Chengala-Nileshwar stretch and the Nileshwar-Taliparamba stretch, which are the two reaches being developed by the Hyderabad-based company.

He said MEIL was not implementing the decisions taken at multiple meetings convened by the District Administration. The Mining and Geology Department fined MEIL Rs 1.75 crore for illegal mining of laterite soil from the Veeramala Kunnu, Unnithan said. "Now the hill is prone to cave in every rainy season," he said.

Unnithan also criticised the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society Ltd (ULCC), which is developing the 39-km stretch from Talapady to Chengala. He said the highway flooded at Uppala Gate, Hosangadi, and Posote.

At the meeting, a ULCC engineer claimed that the three areas were prone to flooding even before the highway was widened -- an argument rejected by Manjeshwar MLA A K M Ashraf's staff, Unnithan, and an official from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

"Even if these areas were flood-prone earlier, ULCC should have fixed the problem during the highway's construction. Isn't that what engineering is supposed to do?" Unnithan told Onmanorama.

However, the minister did not ask ULCC for a report or direct it to fix the problem. When contacted, the minister told Onmanorama that most of the complaints raised were against MEIL, and so it was asked for a report.

'NHAI should find solutions'

MLA Rajagopalan said senior officials of NHAI should inspect accident-prone areas and provide solutions. He said the company was not taking proper safety measures to protect the lives of workers and travellers.

Two NH 66 construction workers have died and two others were injured in Kasaragod and Kannur district in 12 days.