Voice 9, Odisha Desk: A part of an under-construction culvert allegedly fell in the Kalyansinghpur block of Odisha's Rayagada district on Monday, killing at least five people, including four children, according to authorities.
The event occurred about 11:00 a.m. in Uparasaja village, Kalyansinghpur block.
According to accounts, the culvert, which is being built by the Rural Development Department, caved in in the morning as the youngsters were swimming in the nullah and came close to the structure. When the tragedy occurred, they were swimming in the rainwater that had gathered beneath the culvert. After receiving information, police and fire officers arrived at the scene and began cleaning the debris.
Odisha Law Minister Jagannath Saraka, local MLA Makaranda Muduli, and Rayagada SP Vivekanand Sharma also went to the site to assess the situation.
MLA Makaranda Muduli described the occurrence as "very unfortunate" and emphasized that the persons responsible for the disaster must face consequences.
According to police sources, a man named Iswar Chetty has been granted the contract to build a road on the 4.5-kilometer stretch under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for Rs 2 crore. At a cost of Rs 17 lakh, a culvert to allow the passage of a waterbed intersecting the length is also being built.
In response to the loss of life in the tragedy, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik offered an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for each of the departed family members. The CM has also ordered that employees responsible for the mishap face harsh punishment.
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