| Font Size |
So, no one was surprised at the presence of Khadia councillors Bhushan Bhatt and Mayur Dave at the site. State Assembly Speaker Ashok Bhatt also paid a visit to the scene of the incident and supervised the removal of debris. Bhatt expressed his concern over victims still buried under the debris. Dave briefed him about the progress of rescue work.
Jani was not available to anybody and in his absence Dave briefed reporters and gave background details about the tragedy and how it happened. At times, he would seem to evade questions that would lead to the admission of fault on the part of the hotel owner, who now is facing a police case, filed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) against him.
Asked if the hotel had building permission and if it was constructed according to norms, Dave avoided a direct reply and said it was not an old building and was quite okay.
Constructions in areas surrounding Panchkuva gate and the railway station are decades old and in need of repairs. Also, new buildings have come without any regulations being followed.
AMC officials find themselves helpless before political intervention in matters relating to these structures. There are many old buildings, which have no civic facilities, no fire safety measures and have crammed spaces that pass for offices. These heavily congested buildings, like Shree Ram Market, opposite Hotel Shakunt, offer a classic example of how long the administration tolerates irregularities in construction. But they are never discussed even in AMC general board meetings.
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|