Sewage mishap: Charges to be filed against hotel staff

New Delhi: A chargesheet has been finalised by the Delhi police against employees of Vivanta Ambassador hotel and managers of a firm involved in running the hotel’s sewage treatment plant, where three men died after inhaling toxic gases, according to sources.

The chargesheet will be filed under the charges of punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, attempt to commit culpable homicide, and under the relevant sections of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, said the police sources.

Five accused have been named by the police in the chargesheet, which is likely to be filed in a week.

Among the accused are two directors of Eco Pollutech Engineers, the company running the sewage plant. The duo were arrested in connection with the case.

Three others, named in the chargesheet, are employees of the hotel — its chief engineer, manager and director, the sources said.

The hotel employees have been charged for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and attempt to commit culpable homicide.

The Eco Pollutech Engineers directors have been charged under all the sections.

The 20 page chargesheet, says the men, who had entered the sewage treatment plant of the hotel, located in an adjacent building, were not given the safety gear.

Police have written to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, seeking details of the inspection it had conducted at the sewage plant and whether the plant had due approvals, the reply of which is still awaited.