Key Points

1. Three migrant labourers died near Coonoor on January 17, 2026, due to a construction site accident.
2. 11 people, all from marginalized backgrounds, have died in three major construction site incidents in the Nilgiris in the last two years.
3. Since 2016, at least 16 people have died in five construction site incidents in the Nilgiris due to landslips and wall collapses.
4. Venugopal Dharmalingam of the Nilgiri Documentation Center (NDC) has called for the suspension of the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA).
5. HACA is alleged to be sanctioning building permits on steep slopes, endangering the ecology and causing deaths of construction workers.
6. The Department of Geology and Mining is responsible for surveying construction sites and recommending safety protocols.