Aizawl, March 02: A 30 meter retaining wall with 10 numbers of RCC columns collapsed while labourers were still working on the retaining wall on Friday evening, killing four of the labourers who were crushed by the debris of the wall while one was seriously injured in the incident at a locality in Mizoram.

According to delayed report received from our sources, Laltlanchhuaha, 18, son of Remthanga, Lalvulmawia, aged 24, son of Lalruatthanga and Lalmuankima, 17, son of PC Lalhmachhuana, all from Luangmual locality and F Lalruatkima, aged 19, son of F Hmingthansanga, a resident of Chhinga Veng locality died at the fatal accident while Lalthlamuana suffered injuries on the head.

The collapsed wall also smashed a Tata Indica car parked just below the wall.

The retaining wall, meant to be constructed to support a new approach road to New Capital Complex covers 29 meters with a concrete pillar constructed between every 3 meters of the wall.

The wall is vertical and not sloped which may have led to its collapse, sources said.

One worker of the retaining wall told our source that they were urged by PWD department officials to get the work finished as quickly as possible and not wanting to disappoint the officials, the workers constructed the wall in haste, laying layers of stones to the wall before the concrete dried up, which eventually led to its collapse.

Zodailova, President of the Ex-Mizo Nationalist Army Association and a member of the MNF High Command, who undertook the contract of constructing the retaining wall told our source that they never used low-quality materials in the construction of the wall.

Answering questions on whether there was an order that the wall should be vertical, the contractor told our source that such specified order was not given.

Meanwhile, a worker of the wall told our source that they had asked that the wall be sloped but their request was ignored.

The Joint Director of the Geology & Mining Wing also told our source that there were no any recent reports of earthquake, putting off the rumors that the wall may have collapsed due to an earthquake on Wednesday night.

31 workers were reported to have worked on the construction of the walls while it collapsed yesterday, with most of the workers hailing from Dawrpui Vengthar, Luangmual and Chhinga Veng locality.

The state government issued a press statement condoling the families of the deceaed and the injured and also promised to pay an ex-gratia of Rs.60,000 each to the families of the four deceased workers.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga has also ordered Chief Secretary Haukhum Hauzel to set up a Magisterial Inquiry Committee to investigate the cause of the collapsing of the wall.

Meanwhile, the Youth Movement for Mizoram which gained news in recent weeks for criticizing the government and pledging to work for reformation of the state released a statement today condoling the families of the deceased workers while claiming that the collapse was not an accident but an occurrence due to negligence of some officials.

According to the statement, such an incident has occurred a few times in the state over the past few years but justice has never been served to the victims of the accidents.

�The wall collapsed due to ignorance from higher officials and the same could be said of the collapsing of the Vety Building, the evacuation of some buildings in the New Capital Complex and the collapsing of a retaining wall in Bawngkawn which led to the death of an innocent child,� the statement said.

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