Mishap at Teesta Low Dam Project

Kalijhora : One person died and three others were seriously injured when an NHPC dumper crashed into a security checkpoint at the entrance of the Teesta Low Dam Project (Stage IV) and fell about 30 feet to end up on the Kali riverbed here this afternoon.

The dead has been identified as Bikash Gurung, an employee of Gorkha Security Service, a private security agency engaged by the power major at the project site. The spot is located on the confluence of the Teesta river and the Kali rivulet, about 40km from Kalimpong and 25km from Siliguri.

Another security guard, Bikash Tamang, and the driver and helper of the dumper, whose identities are yet to be established, are among the injured. All three have been admitted to a hospital in Siliguri.

Eyewitnesses said the dumper was entering the project site when the driver lost control of the heavy-duty vehicle and crashed into the checkpoint, before nose-diving 30 feet to land on the Kali. Both Gurung and Tamang were inside the checkpost and had no chance of getting out as the dumper took the tinned structure down with it.

“Till Thursday I was the one doing duty at the checkpoint. I can only thank my stars that I was posted in another area today, or I could have been the victim,” said Jiten Thapa, Gurung’s colleague.

Forty minutes after the incident, which occurred around 4.20pm, Thapa still seemed to be in a state of shock.

“Bikash (Gurung) was from Mungpoo, and was very good to me,” he mumbled.

The NHPC has engaged a number of dumpers like the one that was involved in the accident today at its project site. “The dumpers carry mud from the site to the dumping yard (across the Kali bridge),” said Sanjay Ghosh, personnel manager of Teesta Low Dam Project (Stage IV).

Source: The Telegraph