KOCHI: Surprisingly, Water Authority took just hours to cover the pit at Palarivattom that had caused the death of a youth on Thursday.

Water Authority Assistant Executive Engineer arrived at the spot with the workers aroud midnight and completed the work within seven hours.

The district collector had also intervened in the matter after there was big public protest. The work was immediately started as government officials’ alleged negligence was widely decried. The police have also put up a warning board at the spot. The collector has ordered magisterial inquiry into the incident.

According to sources, Water authority swung into action overnight after the collector warned that officials concerned will lose job if the killer pit was not covered immediately. The workers and Water authority officers reached the spot in the midnight itself and started the work to plug the leak from pipelines and cover the pit.

Yadhulal, a native of Koonamavu died on Wednesday after he fell on the road and was run over by lorry, when he tried to negotiate the pot hole on the road.

The pot had been dug by the water authority for pipe line works and had been left open.