Mohan Kuthar

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, June 2: The landslide tragedy that struck Urumane Kodi in Manjanady village on May 30, claiming three lives, was caused by unscientific roadwork, alleges a formal complaint submitted to the chief secretary of the state.

Seetharam Poojary, who lost his mother and two children in the incident, has held the faulty road construction responsible.

In the tragic incident, Seetharam Poojary’s mother Prema Poojary (60), and his two sons Aryan (3) and Aarush (1.5) died when a landslide buried their house.Seetharam’s wife Ashwini sustained serious injuries with both her legs amputated, while his father Kanthappa Poojary also lost a leg.

The root cause of the incident, according to the complaint, is the CC road construction under the ST Colony development project sanctioned by the Karnataka Department of Scheduled Tribes Welfare at a cost of Rs 20 lac. The road was constructed by the Mangaluru unit of KRDL (Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited).

However, during construction, earth was excavated from the hill without conducting mandatory geotechnical surveys as required by the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957, which mandates assessment of soil stability and potential for landslides. Additionally, permission from the Forest Department, as required under the Karnataka Forest Act, 1964 for areas with tree cover, was reportedly not obtained. These safety protocols were completely ignored, alleges the complaint.

Heavy rainfall triggered a landslide from the weakened hill, causing the earth to collapse onto Seetharam’s house, resulting in the tragedy. The complaint blames negligence by the village panchayat, district engineering division, and the contractor. It asserts that the disaster could have been avoided had proper planning, technical evaluation, and safety measures been followed.

Seetharam has demanded criminal action under Sections 105 (causing death by negligence) and 106 (negligence endangering public safety) of the Indian Penal Code against the engineers, panchayat officials, KRDL authorities, and contractors responsible for the project. He has urged the formation of a high-level inquiry committee comprising officials from the mining and geology department, forest department, and engineering division.

The tragedy has caused immense loss to Seetharam’s family — in terms of lives, property, and physical and psychological trauma. He has requested adequate compensation and emphasized the need for strict legal enforcement and oversight to prevent such disasters in the future.

"This is not just the story of one family,” Seetharam’s complaint states. “It reflects how administrative failure, technical lapses, and negligence can destroy the lives of ordinary citizens.” He urged Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to take the matter seriously, order a thorough investigation, ensure legal action is taken, and provide justice and relief to his family.