Mon Jan 19 13:05:08 UTC 2026: # Negligence Claims Mount as Construction Worker Deaths Plague Nilgiris District

The Story:
Activists in the Nilgiris district are demanding immediate action from the local administration to prevent further deaths of construction workers, particularly migrant laborers. The demand follows a recent incident on January 17, 2026, near Coonoor, where three migrant laborers died due to a landslip. This incident has highlighted a recurring problem, with activists citing at least five major construction site accidents since 2016, resulting in at least 16 deaths and several serious injuries, all due to landslips and wall collapses.

The honorary director of the Nilgiri Documentation Center (NDC), Venugopal Dharmalingam, has directly appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, calling for the suspension of the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA). He alleges that HACA’s reckless sanctioning of building permits on unstable slopes is endangering the fragile ecology and causing worker deaths. Dharmalingam further argues that the authority has strayed from its original conservation mandate and become a mere building sanctioning body, advocating for HACA to be held liable for construction site accidents.

Key Points:

  • Three migrant laborers died in a landslip near Coonoor on January 17, 2026.
  • At least 16 people have died and five have been seriously injured in construction site accidents in the Nilgiris since 2016.
  • All deaths were caused by landslips and wall collapses at construction sites.
  • Venugopal Dharmalingam, director of the NDC, called for the suspension of HACA in a letter to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
  • Dharmalingam alleges HACA’s approval process endangers the ecology and causes worker deaths due to building on steep slopes.
  • A district official stated that the Department of Geology and Mining is responsible for surveying sites and recommending safety protocols.
  • Local activists claim the local panchayat and district administration are responsible for ensuring safety recommendations are being followed.

Key Takeaways:

  • There’s a clear pattern of preventable deaths at construction sites in the Nilgiris, indicating systemic failures in safety oversight.
  • The Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) is facing severe criticism for allegedly prioritizing construction over environmental protection and worker safety.
  • Accountability is fragmented between different departments (Geology and Mining, HACA, local panchayat/district administrations), leading to a lack of responsibility.
  • The focus on constructing buildings on steep slopes exacerbates existing environmental concerns and increases the risk of accidents.

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