Firhad Hakim visits families of deceased KMC workers, calls tragedy 'deeply unfortunate' | Watch

Two civic workers died on Wednesday morning after a large eucalyptus tree collapsed in front of the main administrative building of the Howrah Municipal Corporation. The victims, Umesh Mahato and Noor Mohammad, were standing near the office entrance around 8:45 am when the tree fell with its base, crushing them on the spot. Local employees later claimed that the tree had been leaning dangerously for a long time, and the issue had reportedly been brought to the attention of the authorities multiple times without action.

Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim visited the site and met the families of the deceased. He said, “There was no wind, no rain—suddenly a tree collapsed. We’ve spoken to the families. Compensation is being arranged.” He further announced that one member from each affected family would be offered employment. “One of the deceased’s sons will be given a job, and for the casual worker, someone from the family will be appointed,” Hakim added. Immediate financial compensation was also provided to both families by the municipal corporation.

The Howrah Municipal Corporation has confirmed that a full investigation into the incident will be conducted. Officials stated that steps are being considered to inspect and assess the condition of all old trees on the premises to prevent such incidents in the future. A shadow of grief remained among staff members at the civic office following the deaths of the two long-serving workers.