Broken slabs placed over an open drain in Uzan Bazar. Picture by UB Photos

Sept. 18: Even after six months, Sagarika Bora’s family is yet to receive justice.

Not only has the state government failed to provide any compensation to her family, but the PWD was also yet to cover all the open drains even after the Kamrup (metro) district administration had directed the department to do so within two months of the death of the 13-year-old on April 18.

The Class VII student of St Mary’s English School had sustained severe injuries after she slipped into a manhole at Uzan Bazar on April 10.

After undergoing treatment in a private nursing home, she died of her injuries a week later.

Sagarika’s death had resulted in a strong public outcry over the sorry state of the pavements.

While in some places the concrete slabs are missing from the pavements, some of the slabs are also uneven, thereby increasing the chances of pedestrians stumbling and injuring themselves.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Sagarika’s father, Montu Bora, said, “My daughter lost her life for no fault of hers. We had asked for a compensation of Rs 20 lakh and the state government had then agreed to it. But so far nothing has happened. PWD officials gave compensation of Rs 2 lakh for their negligence.”

“We had even submitted a memorandum addressing the chief minister on the issue to Gauhati East MLA Robin Bordoloi on July 21, who had forwarded it to the deputy commissioner of Kamrup (metro). This memorandum was finally forwarded by the district administration, but so far we have not received any response,” said Bora.

Sagarika’s case was not the only one. Many have lost their lives or injured themselves after falling into these uncovered drains.

In 2003, a homemaker lost her life when she fell into an open drain at Gandhibasti. Again in 2006, another woman fell into a drain at Lalganesh and in 2011 a man died after falling into an open drain on Zoo Road.

“After my daughter’s death, the district administration had ordered officials of the department concerned to cover all the open drains. Though the drain into which my daughter fell was covered with a concrete slab, there are several others in our locality, which are yet to be covered. The department simply did not bother to complete the work,” said Bora.

The district administration said work was on to cover all the open drains.

“The PWD has already started their work to install concrete slabs over the open drains. If a few have been left, the people should bring it to our notice and we will get them covered,” Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner Ashutosh Agnihotri said.

“The compensation will be provided to the victim’s according to rules. In cases of accidents, a victim is usually provided with a compensation of about Rs 1 lakh. However, the family of the victim had forwarded an application to the chief minister asking for compensation from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The proposal of providing compensation to the family will be taken up soon,” he said.