Submit Action Taken Report in aftermath of Morbi bridge collapse: HC to Gujarat govt
Ahmedabad (PTI): The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to submit a report on the action taken against the office-bearers of Morbi municipality as the SIT highlighted lapses in the aftermath of the collapse of a bridge in October 2022 which killed 135 people.
The division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi noted the government has not yet submitted an Action Taken Report (ATR) after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) highlighted lapses by office-bearers of Morbi Nagarpalika including its then-chief officer.
Meanwhile, a man who lost two relatives in the bridge collapse has moved the HC, seeking its direction for repairing and restoring the heritage British-era structure, and directives for individualised compensation.
While hearing a suo motu PIL, Chief Justice Agarwal noted that the state government has yet to submit an ATR following the SIT findings on lapses by Morbi Nagarpalika office-bearers, including its then chief officer. The SIT's final report was submitted on October 9, 2023.
Chief Justice Agarwal said the government should file an ATR against erring persons as the SIT highlighted inaction on their part.
When questioned about the actions taken based on the SIT report, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi assured the court that the ATR would be presented soon. The court had previously directed the government to submit this report, especially highlighting the lapses identified by the SIT.
The court also addressed the Oreva Group's compensation and rehabilitation proposal, which includes a monthly payment of Rs 12,000 to every surviving victim and the kin of deceased victims. Additionally, the group agreed to cover educational expenses for orphaned children or those who lost a parent. The court instructed the Oreva Group’s trust to establish a mechanism to implement these payments.
Chief Justice Agarwal said that the government should file a report on the action taken against erring persons especially as the SIT cited inaction on their part.
"What method have you worked out to make this payment?" the court asked, before directing the trust to work out a mechanism.
The British-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi town collapsed on October 30, 2022, killing 135 persons, including several women and children, and injuring 56 others.
Dilip Chavda, in an affidavit submitted to Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal, urged that the repair and restoration of the bridge be undertaken by a technical team from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The affidavit was part of a suo motu PIL concerning the Morbi bridge collapse.
Chavda demanded that the cost of repairs be borne by the Oreva Group, responsible for the bridge’s operation and maintenance, as well as state authorities, including the district administration and Morbi municipality. He argued that the bridge, a public asset, should not have been managed as private property.
"The Morbi bridge was a property of the public at large and was not a private property of either of the concerned respondents that they could deal with it in a manner of their choice ...The concerned respondents are absolutely liable for the operation and maintenance of the bridge," the plea stated.
Furthermore, Chavda sought court directives for individualised compensation, suggesting Rs 2 crore for each deceased’s kin, Rs 50 lakh for victims with permanent disabilities, and Rs 20 lakh for those injured. He criticised the current uniform compensation approach.
Ten individuals, including Oreva Group CMD Jaysukh Patel, two managers, sub-contractors, security guards, and ticket booking clerks, have been arrested and charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Fifties by Kohli, Bethel, Shepherd power RCB to 213/5 against CSK
Bengaluru (PTI): Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethel did the early running with well-crafted fifties, while Romario Shepherd applied the finishing touches with a brutal 14-ball unbeaten half-century as Royal Challengers Bengaluru raced to a massive 213 for five against Chennai Super Kings in an IPL match here on Saturday.
The Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni decided to bowl first after winning the toss, but the decision played handsomely into RCB’s hands as Kohli and Bethel merrily chugged along to make 97 runs in just 9.5 overs for the opening wicket.
Kohli (62 off 33 balls) and Bethel (55 off 33) exploited a fuss-free pitch to telling effect, and their job was made much easier by the wrong lines of CSK bowlers, which was evidenced when Shepherd (53 not out off 14 balls; 4x4, 6X6) made the joint second fastest fifty in the IPL.
The fastest fifty of the IPL was struck off just 13 balls by Yashasvi Jaiswal in 2023, while both KL Rahul (in 2018) and Pat Cummins (2022) had also earlier made half centuries off 14 balls.
Khaleel Ahmed, who has the highest number of dot balls in this IPL at 110, tried to test Kohli with snorter but it was pulled thunderously over fine leg for a six.
In the very next ball, the left-arm pacer went for a fuller length delivery but it was on Kohli’s pads as the batter sent the ball soaring over square leg for a maximum, and all he needed was a simple unlocking of his wrist.
Bethel was more brutal. The England left-hander smashed Ahmed for three successive fours in the first over itself, all rasping cuts and forceful drives, as RCB raced out of the traps.
The 21-year-old had a slice of fortune too as Ravindra Jadeja and Matheesha Pathirana collided with each other to spill a catch off pacer Anshul Kamboj.
Bethel was on 27 then, and he soon brought up his maiden IPL fifty with a reverse scoop off Jadeja.
Kohli too reached his fifty soon after with a routine slap through the cover region for a four off Jadeja.
Just as the alliance was blossoming further, Bethel skied Pathirana for Dewald Brevis to complete a fine catch running in from the boundary line.
It gave some respite to the CSK bowlers, who found a way to stem the free flow of runs using cutters and into-the-deck deliveries, particularly Sam Curran (1/34) and Pathirana (3/36).
Curran consumed Kohli with a slow delivery which did not allow the batter to execute a ramp over Ahmed at gully.
But Kohli and Bethel had given RCB a superb platform as the home side were placed at 121 for 2 in the 12th over.
However, the improved lengths of CSK bowlers and a tinge of slowness in the track made RCB settle for 37 runs between overs 12 and 18 as batters like Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar failed to force the pace.
But Shepherd waded into Ahmed (65 runs in 3 overs), slamming him for four sixes and two fours in the 19th over which yielded 33 runs.
Shepherd and Tim David raised their fifty stand for the sixth wicket in just 14 balls and the latter contributed a princely two runs in that alliance.
