Hydro-power plant drowning: FIR against officials, contractors of pvt firm in Gujarat

Lunawada (Guj) Sep 7 (PTI) An FIR on the charges of negligence has been registered against concerned officials and contractors of a private hydro-power firm that operated a plant, where five workers drowned after river water entered the premises in Gujarat's Mahisagar district, police said on Sunday.

Bodies of the deceased workers of the plant operated by Ajanta Hydro Power Project at Kadana Dam were recovered after more than 50 hours on Saturday evening.

The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when 15 workers entered a large well of the hydro-power plant at Dolatpura for maintenance.

With discharge from the Kadana dam (built on the Mahi River) upstream, water suddenly entered the well. While 10 workers managed to come out safely, five went missing.

"The police on Saturday registered an FIR against the concerned employees, officials and contract workers of the firm. Action will be taken against whoever is found responsible for negligence," Deputy Superintendent of Police Kamlesh Vasava said.

As per preliminary investigation, Ajanta Energy operated the hydro-power project, and Jaysukh Patel was the firm's owner, he said.

Ajanta Energy was operating on the Mahisagar river as part of its MoU with Kadana Irrigation and a lease agreement with the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited, said Mahisagar collector Arpit Sagar.

Notably, Patel is the main accused currently out on bail in the 2022 Morbi bridge collapse case.

The official said the accused, who have not yet been named in the FIR, have been booked under sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 125 (1) (endangering human life or personal safety by a rash or negligent act) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

The police will add more sections against the accused if required, he said, adding that no arrest has been made in the case as yet. PTI COR KA PD ARU