Rayagada: The state government has taken strict action against the officials of the Rural Works Division in connection with the collapse of an under-construction culvert in Uparasaja village under Kalayansingpur tehsil in Odisha’s Rayagada district on Monday killing five, including four children.
The government has suspended Executive Engineer Pradeep Kumar Mohanty, Assistant Engineer Rajesh Mandal, and Junior Engineer Venkat Muduli of the Rural Development Department.
A case has been filed against the concerned contractor at the Kalyansinghpur police station.
The state government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the bereaved families and the amount will be paid to them soon, Rayagada District Magistrate Swadha Dev Singh informed.
Four children and one youth died in the incident on Monday.
During their suspension period, the officials will be placed at the office of the Chief Construction Engineer, Rural Works Circle Sunabeda and they shall not leave the headquarters without prior permission of the Chief Engineer.
However, they shall be entitled to payment of subsistence allowance in accordance with the rules of the Odisha Service Code, a notification issued by the Department of Rural Department, Government of Odisha, on Monday read.
