Devadula Project: Workers Go Missing

Tension prevailed at the Devadula lift irrigation project tunnel in Shayampet mandal in Warangal district on Saturday, as 3 workers went missing after massive sheets of water from a breached tank gushed into the project.

According to reports, the labourers had an argument with the management of Coastal Project Limited, the company executing the project, over the missing labourers.

When the agitating labourers failed to get a proper response from the management, they stoned a company vehicle and tried to destroy one of the sheds at the site.

The police immediately rushed to the spot, to pacify the agitating labourers. They failed, and took 2 labourers into preventive custody.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the Warangal Collector Rahul Bojja to personally visit the spot and review the restoration and rehabilitation works there, and to send him a report.

Project supervisor Kusuman said all the workers were evacuated from the tunnel, and that all the 200 workers were safe.

However, sources say that 30-40 workers were carrying out welding works at the time, and whereabouts of at least 5 workers are not known.

The mishap occurred as the tank in Vasanthapur village breached and the water gushed into the Devadula tunnel. (INN)