Madhya Pradesh Government Offers Compensation After Tragic Deaths of Sanitation Workers

Compensation Announced for Families of Deceased Workers

Indore, March 3: Following the unfortunate deaths of two sanitation workers due to toxic gas inhalation while cleaning a sewer chamber in Indore, the Madhya Pradesh government has declared a compensation of ₹30 lakh for each of their families.

Indore's Mayor, Pushyamitra Bhargav, announced on Tuesday that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has sanctioned financial aid of ₹30 lakh to the relatives of both deceased workers.

In a post on X, Bhargav stated, “In light of the tragic event near the Choithram Hospital entrance, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has approved a compensation of ₹30 lakh for each victim’s family.”

The incident transpired outside the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Fruit and Vegetable Market, where the two sanitation workers from the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) were involved in cleaning a sewer chamber.

As per police reports, the accident occurred when a pipe connected to a sewer suction machine ruptured during the cleaning process. One worker lost consciousness after being exposed to the toxic gas inside the chamber, prompting another worker to enter the chamber for rescue, only to collapse as well due to the fumes.

Authorities confirmed that both workers succumbed to asphyxiation from the hazardous gases in the sewer line. Their bodies were subsequently retrieved with the help of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

Deputy Commissioner of Police Shrikrishna Lalchandani informed the media late Monday that the deceased have been identified as Karan Yadav and Ajay Dodi.

An eyewitness, Amit Rajak, claimed that the workers entered the sewer chamber without adequate safety gear.

He also alleged that police, municipal officials, and ambulances took nearly two hours to arrive at the scene following the incident.

Local bystanders reportedly attempted to rescue the workers by pulling them out of the chamber before emergency services arrived.