Pimpri-Chinchwad: Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi has directed officials to complete the preliminary inquiry into the Moshi garbage depot tragedy at the earliest and register a case against the contractor concerned.
The directive was issued during a review meeting held on Sunday with senior civic officials to assess the accident and the rescue operation. Additional Commissioners Kuldeep Jangam, Trupti Sandbhor and Vikrant Bagade, Joint Commissioner Manoj Lonkar, and officials from various departments attended the meeting.
The accident took place around 1.30 pm on July 8 when a massive heap of garbage collapsed onto the administrative building at the Moshi garbage depot, trapping workers inside. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, PCMC Fire Brigade, PMRDA Fire Brigade, police and other agencies launched a large-scale operation to rescue those trapped inside the building and beneath the garbage heap.
According to the civic administration, five workers escaped on their own immediately after the collapse. Rescue teams later pulled nine workers alive from the debris. However, nine workers lost their lives during the operation, which continued for nearly 84 hours.
Bhavesh Vani, one of the trapped workers, died on July 9. On the fourth day of the rescue operation, the bodies of Akshay Sawant (35), Sunil Korke (40), Sunny Mane (39), Mahesh Kumbhar (33), Nagesh Gaikwad (26), Ranjit Patil (22) and Rahul Gaikwad (34) were recovered from the collapsed building.
One worker, Waman Kasbe (50), remained trapped beneath the garbage heap beside the building. His body was recovered at around 1 am on Sunday, bringing the death toll to nine. With all trapped workers accounted for, authorities officially called off the rescue operation at around 2 am after nearly 84 hours.
During the meeting, Dr Suryawanshi also ordered notices to be issued to the PCMC Environment Department and the contractor, Antony Lara Renewable, in connection with the accident. He further directed officials to conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the collapse.
