PONDA: In a tragic accident which
occured at the accident-prone Borim Circle on Thursday, three employees of the
Electricity Department died on spot after the truck they were travelling
overturned.
It is learnt that the truck with
nine employees from Marcel Electricity office including the driver was loaded
with ten electric poles and was proceeding from the RCC shop, Pajifond-Margao
to Marcel.
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Realising the brake failure, the
driver tried to negotiate the Borim Circle turn, but lost control over the
vehicle which later overturned.
Three employees, who got trapped
under the truck and the electricity poles, died on the spot while six others,
sustained serious injuries as the electricity poles crashed on them.
The locals tried their best to
rescue the injured persons before the crane and police arrived.
The deceased have been identified as
45-year-old Pundalik Jalmi, a resident of Khandola Marcel, 42-year-old Sameer
Parab and 28-year-old Sagun Gawas both from Amona.
The seriously injured persons who
have been shifted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim are
34-year-old Pranav Naik from Cumbarjua, 36-year-old Ganasham Naik from
Tiverem-Marcel and 46-year-old Vinayak Gaude from Bhoma.
47-year-old Pradosh Naik, driver
from Shiroda and Samirulla Khan from Bethora, who sustained minor injuries,
were shifted to Ponda Sub District Hospital while 59-year-old Ladu Kankonkar
from Khorlim was discharged from hospital.
Following the accident, Borim locals
gathered in large number including Borim Sarpanch Bhavna Naik.
The locals including deputy sarpanch
Sunil Sawkar have served a 15 days deadline to NH officials to improve the road
condition and reduce the size of the circle failing which they have threatened
to stage a rasta roko.
Sawkar said, “The panchayat made all
efforts and now we have lost our patience. Since the last decade we have been
demanding that the size of circle be reduced as several fatal accidents have
occurred at the spot. The locals have been demanding changes in the
circle design.”
He said, “The size of circle is
massive and the road width is too narrow, which makes it difficult for heavy
vehicles to negotiate the turn, thus leading to accidents.”
The locals have also demanded that
Electricity Department should carry out proper maintenance of vehicles as above
the truck transporting the poles appeared to be over 20 years. Executive
Engineer at Curti Electricity Department Deepak Naik expressed his grief over
deaths of three employees and informed that the truck was maintained
properly.
Ponda PI Harish Marcaikar and fire
personnel rushed to spot and a crane was pressed into service for the rescue
operation.
The
locals tried their best to rescue the injured persons before the crane and
police arrived. The deceased have been identified as 45-year-old Pundalik
Jalmi, a resident of Khandola Marcel, 42- year-old Sameer Parab
and
28-year-old Sagun Gawas both from Amona. The seriously injured persons who have
been shifted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim are
34-year-old Pranav Naik from Cumbarjua, 36-year-old Ganasham
Naik
from Tiverem-Marcel and 46-year-old Vinayak Gaude from Bhoma. 47-year-old
Pradosh Naik, driver from Shiroda and Samirulla Khan from Bethora, who
sustained minor injuries, were shifted to Ponda Sub District
Hospital
while 59-year-old Ladu Kankonkar from Khorlim was discharged from hospital.
Following the accident,
Borim
locals gathered in large number including Borim Sarpanch Bhavna Naik. The
locals including deputy sarpanch Sunil Sawkar have served a 15 days deadline to
NH officials to improve the road condition and reduce the
size
of the circle failing which they have threatened to stage a rasta roko. Sawkar
said, “The panchayat
ade
all efforts and now we have lost our patience. Since the last decade we have
been demanding that the size of
circle
be reduced as several fatal accidents have occurred at the spot. The locals
have been demanding changes in the circle design.” He said, “The size of circle
is massive and the road width is too narrow, which makes it difficult for heavy
vehicles to negotiate the turn, thus leading to accidents.” The locals have
also demanded that Electricity
Department
should carry out proper maintenance of vehicles as above the truck transporting
the poles appeared
to
be over 20 years. Executive Engineer at Curti Electricity Department Deepak
Naik expressed his grief over
deaths
of three employees and informed that the truck was maintained properly. Ponda
PI Harish Marcaikar
and
fire personnel rushed to spot and a crane was pressed into service for the
rescue operation. Power Minister Nilesh Cabral said, “I am deeply saddened by
the incident. During this time of grief, my sympathies, thoughts and prayers
are with the grieving families. We also stand solidly with the injured
personnel and their families.
Government
will do all that is necessary to comfort and assist the family members, whose
loss we will not be able to compensate in real sense. The government is also
committed to providing all medical care and facilities to the injured personnel
so that they recovery very fast and resume duties.”
