The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file an affidavit giving details of the number of manholes fitted with metal nets to ensure that people don't fall into open drains during the monsoons.
A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Anjuja Prabhudessai were hearing a PIL seeking directions to the authorities for filing an FIR against Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and other concerned persons for causing death due to negligence of Dr Deepak Amarapurkar.
The corporation had decided to put metal nets on manholes in the city following the death of Dr Deepak Amrapurkar during last year's deluge. He had fallen into a manhole. Around 1,600 manholes were identified and accordingly tenders were floated to procure the nets.
"The BMC should not take this petition as an adversarial; it is for the Mumbaikars," the bench said. It posted the matter for further hearing on June 21.
Advocate Sujay Kantawala, appearing for petitioner Federation Of Retail Traders Welfare Association, cited the recent incident of a 2-year-old dying in Chembur after falling into an open manhole. "The civic body has not fixed the metal nets on all the manholes. People are still losing their lives because of this," he told the court.
The body of the renowned gastroenterologist of Bombay Hospital was found in Worli. On August 29, 2017, he went missing near the Elphinstone Road station during the heavy rains. He had left for home by his car, but had asked his driver to pull over near the station, so he could walk back home. That's when he fell into an open manhole.
SEEKING JUSTICE
- Body of a renowned gastroenterologist of Bombay Hospital was found in Worli.
- He died from falling into a manhole.
- A PIL was filed seeking directions to authorities for filing FIR against the Municipal Commissioner for causing death due to negligence.
