Shillong: East Khasi Hills officials launched a district-wide hunt for illegal water wells and reservoirs. This follows the preventable deaths of five men in a Lapalang water tank. Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal ordered local Dorbar Shnongs to audit all borewells and tanks. These lists will be checked against official permits to find hidden structures.
The city suffers from a broken piped water supply. Many residents rely on private reservoirs to get by. The DWRDC issues official permits for these tanks, but thousands exist off the books. Now, headmen must report every illegal site. Officials say they will take necessary action against those in violation.
A deadly accident exposed the danger on Friday. Five men died from carbon monoxide poisoning inside a 33-foot tank at Dongmadan Lane 4. Toxic fumes from a diesel pump sucked the oxygen out of the cramped, unventilated space. One worker escaped, but his rescue attempts failed. Larrypor Roy Nongbri, Sub-Divisional Officer, confirmed the cause of death. He stated: "The victims died of carbon monoxide poisoning."
The victims were Pynskhemlang Mawthoh, 22, Rapborlang Nongspung, 35, Elka Shadap, 25, and brothers Sunil Thakuri, 34, and Umesh Thakuri, 30. Doctors at NEIGRIHMS used MRI and CT scans to perform virtual autopsies. Families held the last rites on Saturday.
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