Students at the University of Hyderabad have been protesting after at least eight workers were injured when a portion of an under-construction building on the campus collapsed Thursday night.
The students’ union demanded accountability from the administration and compensation to the injured workers even as a section boycotted classes on Friday. The students also demanded that the university bear the treatment expenses of the injured labourers.
The incident occurred at around 8.30 pm when an under-construction portico collapsed on workers employed by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The workers, who sustained minor injuries, were shifted to a private hospital.
Construction work has been underway at the site for eight months. According to Gachibowli police, a case is being registered against the contractor, and the site supervisor is being questioned.
The CPWD said that all the injured workers were discharged from the hospital on Friday after treatment and the department was trying to ensure that the contractor paid them compensation.
Sources in the university administration, meanwhile, said an official response will be issued after the CPWD submits a report. “The university is working. The students had a meeting with the authorities. The work is taken up by the CPWD. The university is awaiting a report from the CPWD on what happened,” said a varsity official.
According to CPWD officials, an accidental contact between the boom pump, used for transferring liquid concrete onto the slab, and the scaffolding resulted in the collapse of a temporary support structure for the portico.
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Manas Kumar Dey, executive engineer, CPWD, told indianexpress.com that a major casualty was averted as the workers had necessary safety gear, including harness, boots and helmets. “Fortunately, no one was severely hurt and all eight workers sustained only minor injuries, including a worker who was trapped under debris. All injured workers were given first aid and those hospitalised have been discharged already. They are being taken care of by the agency concerned,” he said.
“We are making sure that whatever compensation is due to them is paid and everyone is taken care of. The police are investigating the matter,” Dey added.
Students union vice-president Akash Kumar, however, said the university cannot escape accountability by passing the blame. “CPWD is the contracting agency and it was the university administration’s responsibility to ensure workers’ safety and welfare. We will continue to protest till we get assurance from the V-C,” he said after a meeting with the registrar and other officials.
Kumar also alleged that labourers were threatened against talking to anyone and were deputed to other construction sites on Friday. “The university officials should be named in the FIR. We demand the resignation of the registrar and deputy registrar for their negligence. We want all ongoing construction to be halted and an autonomous inquiry to be ordered where the Students Union is also involved,” he said.
