A day after a lower court issued summons to civic chief Sitaram Kunte and three other IAS-rank officers in connection with the September 2013 Dockyard Road building crash, which had claimed 61 lives, the municipal administration sought to come clean on it.
The Bhoiwada metropolitan magistrate's court on Tuesday summoned Kunte and additional municipal commissioner (AMC) Rajiv Jalota, then AMC Manisha Mhaiskar (now principal secretary of state's medical education) and ex-AMC Mohan Adtani, saying prima facie there was evidence to prosecute them for culpable homicide (not amounting to murder). The court has asked the officials to be appear before it on January 12, 2015 to file their response.
Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, Municipal Mazdoor Union chief Sharad Rao reiterated the court order and alleged the BMC administration of negligence resulting in the incident. "While lower-rung officials are facing charges, the IAS officers have not been held responsible."
Rao said they had approached the court along with a letter issued by B Sagvekar (then deputy chief engineer) sent to senior BMC officials 14 months before the incident. "The letter had stated that building needed to be vacated or else, it could collapse. But his warning was not paid heed to."
Kunte said the corporation will seek appropriate legal remedy. "We will deal with the issue legally."
The BMC also denied charges made by Rao regarding knowledge or intention on the part of the civic chief or additional municipal commissioners in respect of the incident. "It is reiterated the administration works in accordance with legal provisions and has taken all necessary steps after thorough appraisal of facts of the case and legal provisions in connection with the said incident," read a statement issued by Kunte.
The BMC further said it is sensitive about the issue of old and dilapidated buildings and concerned about the life and safety of people residing therein. "There are dangerous buildings where people continue to reside even though notices have been issued for vacating the premises," says the statement.
The BMC, on the other hand, has pointed out that it is the union which has resisted evacuation of employees residing in conservancy quarters – declared uninhabitable after structural audit – as majority of these workers are attached to the union.
Both Jalota and Mhaiskar refused to comment over the issue.
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