Cuttack, Feb. 8: Lack of adequate safety measures at various construction sites of the Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica)-funded integrated sanitation project has become a matter of concern.

Two persons have died and more than five have been injured in separate accidents near Jica-funded construction sites at various parts of the city over the past year leading to resentment among the residents of Cuttack.

In the latest incident, a 50-year-old man, identified as Shankar Pradhan, died after falling into an uncovered drain at a construction site in Srivihar Colony on January 5. A labourer also died after an under-construction channel collapsed at Bidanasi in 2015.

The lack of co-ordination among multiple agencies is apparently to blame for the safety norms violations by Jica officials, said sources.

As the project is being directly monitored by the officials of the district and revenue administration, Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and police have expressed their inability to ensure the adherence to rules.

"CMC is just an advisory body and it is the responsibility of Jica officials to arrange safety measures at construction sites. We will write a letter to them so that they are more watchful," said Gyana Das, the municipal commissioner.

Local residents said Jica officials were not following safety norms while carrying out construction activities such as laying drainage channels as part of the integrated sanitation project. "Only a plastic tape is used as a protective net near trenches and so far no measures have been taken by the officials to ensure there is proper lighting near the construction sites," said Kishore Das, a resident of Mission Road.

A Jica official, on the other hand, claimed project engineers and supervisors had been asked to install proper barricades near all construction sites.

"We have now decided to monitor the safety parameters at the construction sites and officers have been instructed to install hard barricades instead of soft ones," said Basant Parida, the chief project director of Jica. He said adequate manpower was also being deployed to regulate traffic and safety drills were being conducted daily near construction sites.