City Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi meets kin of girl washed away in Nala, announces ex-gratia

HYDERABAD: Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Gadwal Vijayalakshmi on Saturday met the kin of a nine-year-old girl who was washed away in a manhole at Kalasiguda of Begumpet Circle in Hyderabad after falling in an open Nala.

The mayor after knowing about the incident went to the deceased's house and consoled the family members. She was briefed by the officials on how the incident happened and later announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh for the family of the deceased.

Mounica, a nine-year-old girl, studying in the fourth standard in a local school had come out of the house to fetch a milk sachet from a grocery store in the Kalasiguda area in the city.

The girl accidentally fell in the open Nala and was washed away. The DRF personnel upon conducting search operations found the body of the girl in a Nala near Parklane of Secunderabad.

According to an eyewitness, the girl who came to the grocery store saved a boy from falling into the Nala before she slipped and washed away into it. The eyewitness said that he along with others tried to search for Mounica for one and a half hour but failed to find her. He said that saving the other person cost the life of the girl.

Meanwhile, the GHMC, which is being criticised by the public for its negligence suspended two officers AE Tirumalaiah, and Work Inspector BM Hari Krishna for showing negligence in their duties.

The GHMC Commissioner directed EE Indira Bai to give a comprehensive report on the incident within ten days.

Govt announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia

Minister for Animala Husbandry Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Deputy Mayorof the GHMC Mothe Srilatha Shobhan Reddy visited the family of Mounika and expressed their condolences. The minister told the parents of the deceased girl that the government would stand by the family. He announced an ex gratia of Rs. 5 lakh to the family as a compensation.