Kerala High Court on Friday, November 18, pulled up the Kochi Corporation after media reports about a three-year-old child suffering injuries falling into an uncovered drain at Panampilly Nagar, a tony mixed-zone neighbourhood in Kochi on Thursday night. The incident happened at 8pm on November 17 in front of Granthapura Library and Bookstore in Panampilly Nagar.
The court which summoned the Corporation Secretary after it was listed on emergency basis directed the Kochi Municipal Corporation to cover the open drains within a period of two weeks, according to reports.
The case was taken up after the amicus curiae informed Justice Devan Ramachandran about the serious nature of the mishap. "The District Collector will oversee this work and also conduct a safety audit simultaneously or thereafter," the court said, posting the matter for further hearing on December 2.
The child Gautam, who was walking along with his mother, suddenly fell into an uncovered sewage drain filled with dirty water and was hauled up with the help of passers by. According to the mother Athira P, she had attempted to rescue him herself, but was unable to enter the drain to lift the child up.
“I had to keep my son from being swept under water by holding him up with my feet to make sure his head remained above the waterline,” said Athira. The child was admitted to the paediatric ICU of a private hospital nearby soon afterwards. Examination by doctors confirmed that the child did not have any serious external injuries.
The child has now been moved to a ward in the hospital where he would remain under observation for a couple of days as he had ingested sewage water and the doctors suspect possibility of infection.
Athira said the exposed sewage drains pose a serious threat to public well-being and authorities should take immediate action to close them.
"We have closed the space around the open drain with a fence. We are working towards covering them with slabs to prevent any future accidents," stated Anjana, the councillor for Panampilly Nagar division, when asked about the incident.
With inputs from Agencies