Gujarat: Morbi Municipality's Chief Officer suspended days after bridge collapse incident
Morbi (PTI): The Gujarat government has suspended Morbi Municipality's Chief Officer Sandipsinh Zala in the wake of the bridge collapse incident that claimed 135 lives, a senior official said on Friday.
The British-era suspension bridge, built on the river Machchhu in Morbi town, had collapsed on Sunday evening. The people who died in the tragedy included women and children.
"The state Urban Development Department has suspended Chief Officer of Morbi Municipality Sandipsinh Zala," said Morbi District Collector G T Pandya.
Resident Additional Collector of Morbi has been given the additional charge of the Chief Officer until further orders, he said.
Morbi Municipality had given the contract of the bridge repair and maintenance to Oreva group for 15 years, officials said.
Police have so far arrested nine persons in connection with the bridge collapse incident.
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Cracks noticed on Puri Jagannath temple boundary wall, ASI urged to conduct survey
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Authorities of the Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri have urged the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific survey of the boundary wall of the 12th-century shrine since cracks have been noticed on it.
The ASI is the custodian of the temple.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee wrote to ASI, saying that cracks have been discovered on the giant wall around the temple complex.
Padhee has also requested the ASI for immediate repair and restoration of the 'Meghanad Pacheri' (boundary wall).
He said that the civil construction wing of the SJTA has taken steps to prevent water leakage on the wall.
Besides, a tender process has also been initiated to improve the drainage system of Anand Bazaar, a place inside the temple where people take 'prasad'.
The temple administration has also assured all support to the ASI in carrying out the repair work.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said the matter is urgent and repair work would commence immediately to prevent further damage to the wall.
"Due to some mistakes in the past, such issues have cropped up," he said, indicating construction works around the temple complex by the previous BJD government.
