Chamoli electrocution: 3, including suspended engineer, arrested for ‘negligence’ in Uttarakhand

• Tragedy struck at the Namami Gange Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand, on July 19, resulting in the electrocution deaths of 16 people
• The Uttarakhand Police arrested three individuals, including an engineer from Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan, for alleged negligence in handling electrical appliances at the plant
• An FIR was registered against Pawan Chamola, head of the joint venture company managing the STP, and other officials under Section 304 of the IPC

On July 19, tragedy struck at the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) under Namami Gange in Gopeshwar, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, when 16 people lost their lives due to electrocution. The incident led to an immediate investigation, and the Uttarakhand Police subsequently arrested three individuals, including an engineer from Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan. The arrests were made on the grounds of alleged negligence in handling electrical appliances at the plant. Among the deceased were a police sub-inspector, three jawan home guards, and a plant security guard.

An FIR was registered under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Dangerous Machinery (Regulation) Act, 1983, against Pawan Chamola, the head of the joint venture company managing the STP, and other unidentified officials. The investigation was intensified with the formation of three teams under the supervision of the Chamoli Superintendent of Police Pramendra Dobhal. This action came after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed the district administration and police officials to hold the responsible parties accountable.

The incident occurred when the power was restored at the plant without identifying the root cause of the initial fault. The sudden influx of current in the complex resulted in an explosion in the switch, causing chaos and leading to people inside the facility receiving electric shocks, which proved fatal for 16 individuals. During the investigation, it was revealed that there was gross negligence on the part of the suspended Additional Assistant Engineer Hardev Lal, the head of the joint venture company Pawan Chamola, and Lineman Mahendra Singh, as well as other officials involved in the operation and maintenance of the STP.

The STP, with a capacity of 0.5 megalitres per day, had been set up as part of the Namami Gange project and was handed over to Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan in 2021, with electricity provided by Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited. The entire incident has raised concerns, and the Uttarakhand government has ordered a safety audit of all sewage treatment plants in the state. Officials from Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited claimed they were never informed about the first electrocution incident by the external company managing the STP or the Jal Sansthan.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are actively searching for other officials connected to the joint venture for their alleged involvement in the negligence that led to the tragedy. The incident has left a deep impact on the community and has highlighted the importance of safety measures in managing critical infrastructure to prevent such disasters in the future.